Far From Gone
by ButterflyCryx
Summary: After the death of Bob Duncan, Amy is left to pick up the pieces of her already shattered family. Will she be able to keep them together... or will the constant hate encircling this family make them fall apart? -FULL SUMMARY INSIDE-
1. Just Another Day

_**Author's Note: This idea came to me out of nowhere. I don't know why, but I write angst-stories about the Duncan family the best. I will be posting a series of humorous one-shots about our favorite T.V family soon though, so don't worry. Anyways, just give this first chapter a chance and see where that leads. I hope you enjoy! (BTW, I MADE SOME CHANGES IN THE AGE DIFFERENCES. P.J IS STILL 18 AND TEDDY IS STILL 16, MEANWHILE GABE IS 10 AND CHARLIE IS 4. NOT A HUGE DEAL BUT I JUSTED WANTED YOU GUYS TO KNOW).**_

**Full Summary: After the death of Bob Duncan, Amy is left to pick up the pieces of her already shattered family. Too young to remember correctly, Gabe and Charlie's memories are altered. Teddy and P.J, who suffered a dark childhood, try to cope with not only the absence of their father, but the things they have brutally witnessed over the past years in the Duncan household.**

**Story Title: Far From Gone **

**Written By: ButterflyCryx**

**Chapter One: Just Another Day**

She examined herself in the mirror, hardly recognizing the girl staring back at her. As her eyes analyzed every part of her weary face, a yell from the top of the basement stairs snapped her back into reality.

"Teddy! Mom says it's time to go!" P.J Duncan called. Sighing, she put her loose curls into a tight ponytail. She forced herself to smile at her reflection then repeated the same words she told herself every single day for the past ten years of her life.

"You're Teddy Duncan. You're strong, you're amazing. You can get through anything."

As much as her shattered heart wanted to believe that, they both knew it was false. Teddy wasn't strong and she wasn't amazing. She was_ broken_. For as long as the girl can remember, there wasn't a moment where she was completely fixed. Despite her younger siblings who were completely clueless as to what was going on around them, Teddy and her older brother P.J never had a true moment of happiness. Not since she was six and he was eight. That's when their family started to fall apart...

Teddy straightened her clothes then walked out, ascending the stairs so she could get to her so called "family".

* * *

"Gun shot!" Gabriel Duncan called as he ran past his mother and got into the passenger seat. Amy Duncan rolled her eyes then bent down so she could address her youngest daughter.

"Charlie, sweetheart, I want you to listen to mommy. Okay? What I'm about to tell you is important." Amy began, looking into her precious angel's face. The four year old nodded then waited for her mother to continue.

"Today is one of those days where we'll be going to the cemetary, as a family. I want you to know that if it gets too scary for you, Mommy, P.J, Teddy and Gabe are here for you. Okay baby girl? You're not alone." Amy explained, looking over her shoulder and eyeing her two oldest children. Teddy folded her arms across her chest and looked away. P.J bent down beside his mother and faced his little sister.

"Mom's right Char, we're all here. No need to be afraid, okay kiddo?"

Charlie nodded once more then reached out for a hug. P.J happily accepted while Amy studied him with a small smile. She had hoped for this. After Charlie and Teddy were settled in the car, she stopped P.J from going in and began to say something. Once P.J interrupted her, her heart sank.

"Don't think I did that just to please you. She's my little sister and I'm doing my job as a big brother by looking out for her." After one last look, P.J got into the car. Amy's face immediately fell at his words. So much for hope. Composing herself, she opened the car door and got into the drivers seat. Gabe noticed the change in his mothers demeanor and decided to question it.

"Mom, are you okay?" the ten year old asked, eyeing her. Amy flashed a fake smile at her little boy then reached out to ruffle his hair. This caused Teddy and P.J to roll their eyes and switch their attention to the windows beside them. Charlie looked at them both and realized she wouldn't be getting any attention from them throughout the whole ride.

"I'm fine Gabe, we better get going." Amy finally said as she pulled out of the garage then drove away.

* * *

She never hated her mother the way she did now. She never had the urge to poison every cup she drank out of or push her down a flight of stairs and call it an "accident". Teddy knew that it was bad to think of such evil things, but she couldn't help it. Sure, Amy was a great mom at some point in her life. And maybe, just maybe, she still was... but Teddy didn't care. She was too blinded by the family's past tragedies to see her mother in a positive manner. She had spent all of this time blaming Amy for everything bad that ever happened to them. Teddy knew she would spend the rest of her life doing just that.

"P.J, Teddy, would you like to place these flowers on the grave?" Amy gently asked. P.J looked like he was about to cry but the mother knew he wasn't going to let that happen. He snatched the bouquet from his mothers hands then encouraged his sister to follow him. Amy flinched at his actions but said nothing. Charlie hid behind her mother. Gabe found himself staring at the familiar name engraved on the stone.

_Bob Gabriel Duncan. 1975-2009._

It had been three years since the incident. Three whole years since their father had died. Gabe didn't like to think about it. He usually woke up in the middle of the night crying, yelling for his father to come save him. Charlie, on the other hand, was barely a year old when Bob passed. She had no clue who Bob Duncan was as a person, but she did know that he was her father.

Amy examined her daughter and son who seemed to be clinging on to her. Gabe's tears began to fall and thats when she used all of her strength to pick him up. He cried on his mothers shoulder and held onto her tight. Charlie, completely clueless, remained behind her mother. She was beginning to feel scared.

So why wasn't mommy, P.J, Teddy or Gabe there for her?

* * *

"I hate you!" Teddy shouted, storming into the house. Amy, who had a sleeping toddler in her hands, signaled for the teenager to be quiet.

"Teddy, please, don't do this now-"

"No! I don't care anymore! I'm tired of this! I'm tired of pretending like everything is fine when it's not!" Teddy continued to shout, disappearing into the kitchen. P.J let out a frustrated sigh then grabbed his little brothers hand.

"Mom, give Charlie to me. I'll take her upstairs." the blonde boy said. Amy gratefully accepted, although she knew he wasn't doing this to help her. He was just doing this for the two siblings he had that weren't fucked up like the rest of them.

Is that what they were? Fucked up? Amy cringed at the harsh words then watched her son guide her two youngest up the stairs. She sighed then entered the kitchen.

"Teddy, please, just listen to me-"

"I'd rather stick knives in my ears." the sixteen year old said, her tone flat and cold. Amy tried hard to block out the inevitable hurt that crept into her heart. She had been dealing with Teddy and P.J's resentment towards her since Bob passed, being the last straw that broke them. That's when she came to the conclusion that maybe she wasn't attempting to block it.

Maybe she was just used to it.

"Baby-"

"I am NOT your baby! Never was and never will be."

Amy reached out for her daughter who quickly backed away. Did Teddy really hate her like she had said? The girl had thrown that same word in her mothers face for, what felt like, forever.

"Why do you keep treating me this way Teddy? Why are you so angry with me?"

How many times has she asked that very question? Amy huffed in her mind. It had to be more than a million times, she was sure of it. Teddy shot her a cold glare.

"Unless you can bring dad back, there's no way in HELL I'll ever treat you better." the teenager swore, exiting the kitchen in angry tears. Amy wanted her little girl back. She wanted to have 'Mommy and Teddy' days again and watch their favorite movies together. She had hoped for that for a long time now.

She was smart enough to know that it wasn't going to happen.

* * *

As the night sky fell over Denver, Colorado, the Duncan househeld was finally quiet. Teddy had fallen asleep after arguing with Amy, yet again. P.J had caused a scene by calling his mother every bad name known to man and reinstated his hate for her, but eventually slammed his door in her face and got himself to sleep. Charlie was put to bed early, thankfully sleeping throughout the whole mess. Gabe was the only one that was awake, now tossing and turning in his bed. The screams that emerged from his family's mouth didn't allow him to sleep. He didn't understand why his siblings hated his mother so much. One look at Amy's face and he knew he couldn't do that to her. He just couldn't find it in himself to disrespect her. He was curious and wanted to know why they treated her the way they did, but never had the courage to ask.

"They still blame me for it, Helen. They still think it's my fault that Bob is dead. I can't believe it. After all we've suffered with him and-"

"Mommy?" Gabe interrupted, walking into the living room. He was wearing his favorite pajama's that his father had bought him exactly one week before he died. Amy smiled at the small boy then gestured for him to approach her.

"Helen, I gotta go. Gabe needs me. Okay, we'll talk tomorrow. Alright, buh-bye." Amy hung up the phone then turned to her son. It was a long day for the family, but it wasn't like any of the others were better.

Amy had been crying and the young boy could tell.

"Is it dad again?" he asked. Amy looked at her son with such sadness in her eyes, it pained him.

"Yes, baby. It's been three years and that man has managed to stay in my heart. To be honest, it hurts." Gabe knew this already, but he always felt so special whenever his mom spoke to him about her feelings. It made him feel like a grown-up.

"It's okay mommy, you're in his heart too." Gabe promised. Amy lifted her little boy onto the sofa and invited him to cuddle with her. He smiled as she pressed light kisses to his forehead.

"Mommy?"

"Yes sweetheart?"

"I don't hate you."

That was it. That was all it took for Amy Duncan to breakout into silent tears, thankful her son wasn't facing her. She kissed the top of his head as he laid against her chest and smiled.

"I'm glad you don't baby boy. Momma's really glad you don't."

At least two of her children loved her... but the other two?

She was beginning to think it was impossible that they ever will.

**TBC**

**I know you're probably wondering why Teddy and P.J "hate" their mother so much. If you haven't already guessed, it's something much deeper than just their father's death. Do you dare to find out why? Stay tuned, LOTS more to come. And please, review. I need every single one of my readers opinions. Thanks so much for your interest. OH, BTW, don't think Gabe isn't going to be his usual mischevious self in this story. I was just showing a much softer side to the boy. Besides, he wouldn't be Gabe without doing at least one bad thing. *winks***

**xoxo**


	2. Amy's Bad Dream

_**Author's Note: Hello readers! Thanks for your opinions on the last chapter and thanks to all who simply read it as well! I greatly appreciate it. Just so you know, this chapter takes a little peak at what the family went through (excluding Gabe and Charlie, since they weren't born yet). There's a lot more for you guys to find out so fasten your seat belts - this is going to be one hell of a ride! I'm taking this pace by pace and I'm not rushing into anything, so please be patient. I hope you guys enjoy!**  
_

**Story Title: Far From Gone**

**Written By: ButterflyCryx**

* * *

**Chapter Two: Amy's Bad Dream**

_*Amy's flashback*_

"_Amy! Amy, where the fuck are you!"_

_Hiding in the closet with her two children, she whispered for them to be quiet. They were both crying now, their little hearts beating extremely fast. P.J was only seven and Teddy was only five. Amy knew they didn't deserve to go through this. She covered her daughters ears and told her son to cover his own, attempting to block out her husbands loud voice. It unfortunately failed._

"_AMY! You bitch! Get out here! Where's my son and daughter?" the man slurred, searching his house for them. He clutched a beer bottle in his left hand and swung it widly as he looked. Determined to find them, he ascended the stairs, his loud footsteps scaring the children even more._

"_Mommy, he's coming. He's coming to hurt us." P.J said, shaking violently with fear. Amy kissed her sons forehead then held him close to her chest._

"_Shh, he's not going to hurt you P.J. Don't worry."_

_This was a promise she always made to the young girl and boy. She never let them down. _

_P.J knew what she meant by that, even at his young age. Living the way he did, he had learned more then his brain could fathom. With sad eyes, he looked up at his mother, who was now nine weeks pregnant. No one knew but herself. She feared what a drunk Bob would do to her if he found out they were expecting a third child, so she decided to keep it a secret._

"_No, I don't want him to hit you!" P.J said, holding onto his mother. The footsteps grew louder and closer, then the closet door swung open._

"_You thought that you could hide from me?" Bob shouted, reaching out to grab his wife by her hair._

"_No daddy, no! Leave her alone! Please!" Teddy begged, watching as her father dragged her mother away from them. P.J was also pleading for his father to let Amy go. Without saying a word to them, Bob locked the closet door then threw his wife onto the bed. P.J and Teddy could hear how hard Bob was slapping Amy. The violent sounds seem to vibrate throughout the entire room. _

"_When were you going to tell me you were pregnant, huh? WHEN? YOU SLUT!"_

_P.J and Teddy held onto each other, fearing for their mother's life. Amy once told them to just count to a hundred and it would be all over. Teddy looked at her brother then began to count._

"_One…" she said._

"_Two." P.J said after. Amy began to scream as Bob kicked her in her stomach numerous times, calling her every bad name known to man. The two kids flinched at the sounds but countinued to count._

"_Three."_

"_Four."_

"_F-Five… P.J, he's hurting mommy." Teddy said in a shaky tone, her tears were falling hard now. P.J held his sister tighter, then whispered into her ear._

"_Mommy is gonna be okay-"_

"_I should kill you, you good for nothing whore!"_

"_Bob, p-please, you're drunk! You're scaring the kids-" Amy was interrupted by another kick in her stomach. She coughed then gasped for air. Bob grabbed her by her night gown then held her up so she could face him._

"_Shut the fuck up Amy! This is all you're fault! You hear me! THIS IS ALL OF YOUR FAULT! You hear that kids? Blame your mother for this!" Bob yelled as he lifted the bear bottle and hit Amy on the head with it._

_*End of Amy's flashback*_

The sun began to peak throught the beige curtains that hung in the Duncan's living room. Amy, who had fallen asleep on the couch with Gabe, immediately woke up and reacted to the light. Her eyes opened then closed again at the bright contact. She rubbed at them vigorously, then realized she was on the couch. She looked down at her sleeping son then smiled. While pushing her nightmare, but what was more like a memory, to the far corners in her distraught mind, she removed some of his brown hair then softly kissed the top of his forehead. This caused Gabe to stir then slowly open his left eye.

"Mom?" he said in a low tone, looking up at Amy. The blonde smiled then caressed the side of her son's face. Just one look at him and the horrible memory began to slowly fade away. She needed an escape and her children always seemed to be the best way out.

"Yes baby?" she replied in an equal tone. He closed his eyes then smiled.

"I want pancakes." The ten year old said before dozing off to sleep again. Amy tried not to laugh aloud and instead giggled. She gently moved him off of her then got up from the sofa. She stretched for a few seconds then walked into her kitchen. The clock on the microwave read 6:39 am. It was a Saturday and the kids had separate places to go by 7:30. Teddy had a book club that she had been apart of since her freshman year in high school, being held in the neighborhood library. P.J had guitar lessons in a recreational center. Gabe had soccer practice and Charlie had 'Mommy and Me' with Amy. Sighing, she debated on whether or not she should wake her two oldest. She didn't want to argue or upset any of them but how else would they get to where they were supposed to be? They were both heavy sleepers and Amy knew it. She finally came up with a decision then left her kitchen. She stopped once she spotted Gabe and her mind began to wander.

Why couldn't P.J and Teddy at least respect her like he had? Sure, the ten year old was the bad apple out of the bunch, due to his history of egging the nieghbors cars and gluing things on his baby sister, but he was always so good towards his mother. Despite the nasty things Mrs. Dabney and his teachers at school said about him, Amy knew Gabe was a good kid. P.J and Teddy, as obedient as they were at school and to everyone around them, had disrespected Amy to the point where they would throw things at her. Yes, Amy knew it was unacceptable but she couldn't fight back. No matter how many times P.J would yell and physically push her away from him, she couldn't yell or punish him for it. She'd simply plead him to calm down and listen to her, but that didn't work.

Teddy managed to do much worse.

Not wanting to think about the horrible experiences she had with her teenage daughter, Amy shrugged it off then approached the stairs. She stopped again, getting that same feeling in the pit of her stomach.

It was called fear. Amy shook her head as tears threatened to be released. She was afraid of her own children, something she never thought would happen to her.

'_This is sad. You're scared of your own kids Amy. How could you let everything get so bad?'_

She shook her head once more then wiped her eyes. She couldn't cry and she definitely couldn't let them see her like this. She built up the last of her strength and began to walk up the stairs.

"P.J? Sweetheart? Wake up…" Amy whispered into her sons ear. P.J stirred slightly then opened his eyes. He looked at his mother then turned away from her, adjusting himself in his bed. Amy sighed then reached out to nudge him. P.J quickly moved away from her touch then sat up.

"I heard you, okay? Just get out!" he yelled, watching her face fall. She quickly recovered then tried to smile, backing out of his room.

"Sorry, I didn't want to bother but-"

"Leave, please."

Amy immediately stopped talking then exited his room. She walked back down the steps and saw Charlie on top of Gabe.

"I want cereal!" the four year old exclaimed while jumping on her brother.

"Charlie! Get off of me!" Gabe complained as the four year old giggled.

"Charlie, please get off of your brother."

"Okay mommy!" she said, hopping off of Gabe. She ran to Amy then gestured for her to pick her up. Amy happily lifted Charlie into her arms then covered her face with kisses. She giggled then kissed Amy's cheeks back. The two of them went on until Teddy appeared.

"Thanks a lot for waking me up." She grumbled, pushing past her mother.

"Sweetie I was going to…"

"Hey Gabe, do you want some pancakes?" Teddy interrupted, smiling at the boy. He nodded then watched as his sister disappeared into the kitchen. He sadly looked at Amy, who was feeling a bit hurt.

Those feelings were nothing new.

"Mom, I'll go get Charlie ready for 'Mommy and Me'." Gabe offered, grabbing his sister from his mothers hands.

"Thanks honey. " she replied, then amped up the courage to go into the kitchen. As she entered, Teddy was already working on the pancake mix. She stared at her daughter, not saying a word. She was too scared to.

"What?" Teddy asked annoyingly, suddenly mixing the pancakes faster. Amy cleared her throat then approached her daughter.

"Nothing, I was just going to apologize for not waking you up earlier. Me and Gabe fell asleep on the couch."

Silence. Amy waited for a response but didn't get one, so she spoke again.

"How's book club?"

Teddy stopped what she was doing and looked at her mother, arching an eyebrow.

"You care because…?"

"I…uh… I just wanted to see how it was going." Amy knew she was shaking but tried her best to control it. She always got like this whenever she talked to Teddy. With P.J, it wasn't so bad. She never wanted to say something that would upset her, even though everything she did seemed to.

"They're fine. Are you done finding excuses to talk to me?" Teddy snapped, getting back to the pancake mix. Amy closed her eyes then looked down. Just as she was about to respond, P.J walked in.

"Hey Teddy." He said, approaching his sister and completely ignoring his mother.

"Hey P.J, do you want some pancakes?"

"Sure, sounds good. Am I walking you to book club today?"

Amy couldn't help but jump into the conversation.

"I thought I'd drive you kids-"

"Yeah P.J, I'd appreciate it. Thanks." Teddy said, interrupting her mother. The two got back to ignoring Amy and engaged in small talk as the blonde sat down. Gabe entered the kitchen with Charlie, both of them fully dressed and ready to start their day. It was now 6:53 am.

The two kids greeted their older siblings then waited for breakfast to be made. Gabe looked over to his mom then looked back at his brother and sister.

"Are you guys making mom breakfast too?" he dared to ask. Teddy looked at P.J then at Gabe.

"She can make it herself." She said, placing one on P.J's plate.

"Why don't you just make her one since you're already-"

"Here you go Charlie, enjoy!" Teddy exclaimed as she placed a perfect pancake on a plate for her little sister. Charlie smiled wide.

"Thank you." She said, running to Amy afterwards.

"Feed me mommy." She asked, holding out the plate to her mother. Amy smiled.

"Of course baby girl, let me get you a fork."

Teddy rolled her eyes then moved so her mother could get a fork for Charlie. Amy put some syrup on the pancake then quickly exited the kitchen.

Gabe looked at his siblings then shook his head, knowing this was going to be another long day.

**TBC**

**More of the family's violent past will be revealed and Amy's feelings towards her deceased husband will be discussed. Stay tuned for the next chapter! OH, and please, review! They give me the power to update much faster.**


	3. Pieces of Our Puzzle

_**Author's Note: Hello everyone! So, this chapter is a bit longer. If it's too much, let me know. If you'd like longer chapters, let me know as well. I have something BIG coming up for this story but it will take some time to get there. This chapter is more of an explanatory chapter and reveals more about the family's past. My suggestion to you all would be to keep your eyes open, watch out for certain signs... I hope you guys enjoy!**_

**Story Title: Far From Gone**

**Written By: ButterflyCryx**

* * *

**Chapter Three: Pieces of Our Puzzle**

As 'Mommy and Me' came to an end, Amy stared off into space. Grace, one of the mothers who attended the class couldn't help but notice. She said goodbye to some of the other women and their children then quickly made her way to Amy. In hopes of getting an explanation, Grace gently nudged the blonde.

"Amy? Are you okay?" she asked, waiting for a response. Amy snapped out of her daze then sheepishly smiled at the redhead.

"Yeah, Im fine. I was just... thinking."

Grace examined her friend then sighed. She knew about Amy's past, something she had managed to get out of her when she proved to the blonde that she could be trusted. She suspected something was wrong three years ago, when Amy first attended the classes. She had shown up with various cuts and bruises, claiming that it was just from playing sports with her two sons and her husband. Grace knew it was a lie. When you play a sport, you get small cuts and a single bruise if you're not careful. Not poorly covered strangle marks on your neck or two black eyes. When Bob died, the redhead thought it'd get easier for the Duncan family.

She began to see that she was wrong.

"Well, what's on your mind? Me and Olivia can go over and she could play with Charlie while we talk." she suggested, looking over at the two toddlers who were now playing with different color blocks.

"It's nothing I can't handle Grace. I'm just gonna take Charlie and go get Gabe." Amy said, standing up so she could get her daughter. Grace immediately stood up too and insisted on the offer.

"Amy, you've been so distant. I know it's been a while since Bob died, but you just now started to attend these classes again. Is everything alright at home? Are the kids okay?"

Amy looked at her friend and gave her the best smile she could. She was truly grateful for the woman's compassion but she was convinced she didn't need it. She could handle her family, she could handle her own life... right?

"Everything is just fine, Grace. I need to go. You and Olivia have a nice day now." With that said, Amy grabbed Charlie's jacket as well as her own and made a quick exit. Grace sighed as she watched her friend leave.

She knew Amy and her kids needed help, it didn't take rocket science to figure it out. The only thing she needed to figure out, was how?

* * *

Teddy waited for her best friend outside of the public library while reading one of her favorite books, _The Crucible_. As she read the beginning of Act II, Ivy Wentz approached her with a few shopping bags in her hands.

"Hey girl!" she exclaimed as the blonde instantly smiled and reached out to give her a hug.

"Hey Ivy, how was your shopping trip with Mary Lou?" the teenager asked. Ivy rolled her eyes then set her bags on the floor.

"Horrible! The woman tried to pick out the most hideous things for me. Do I look like I'm fifty?" Ivy said, making Teddy laugh.

"Oh come on, give your mom a break. She's just trying to bond with you."

"Yeah, like Amy is trying to do with you. Any progress on that yet?" Ivy questioned, already knowing the answer. Teddy's face fell as she looked down at her black boots. She hated the mention of her mother. She hated _her_ in general.

"I told you to never mention that stuff."

Ivy immediately realized her mistake and apologized for it.

"Yeah, I know. I'm sorry Teds. I just wish you would talk to her and-"

"Can we go now? I need to meet P.J on the way home. Then after that we could go to my room and work on our science project."

Ivy knew better then to say anything else so she simply nodded and picked up her bags, following her best friend down the street. As they were walking, she couldn't help but get that same feeling of concern in her heart for Teddy and her family. She didn't know what they really went through, since Teddy had refused to talk about it, but according to her mother who was close friends with Amy, the family had a pretty rough life. She never understood why Teddy and P.J treated their mother with such disrespect and to be honest, it bothered her.

"Ivy?" Teddy said for the third time, looking directly into her best friend's face. Ivy realized that Teddy had been calling for her attention for the past minute, but she was too busy being lost in her own thoughts.

"I'm sorry Teds. So, what did you want to say?"

* * *

P.J strummed his guitar and sang along to it's soft beat.

_If I lay here_

_If I just lay here_

_Will you lie with me and_

_Just forget the world?_

He paused to clear his throat then continued,

_I don't quite know_

_How to say_

_How I feel_

_Those three words_

_Are said too much_

_They're not enough_

_If I lay here_

_If I just lay here_

_Would you lie with me_

_And just forget the world?_

_Forget what we're told_

_Before we get too old_

_Show me a garden_

_That's bursting into life_

P.J stopped singing when he realized the lessons had come to an end. He moved some of his shaggy blonde hair from his forehead then got up so he could pack up his instrument and leave. Just as he was about to leave, Mr. Paul Anderson, his teacher, stopped him.

"Hey kid, that was good. A bit high pitched, but good." he commented, leaning in front of his desk. The room that P.J took the class in was plain and only contained ten chairs that the kids put into a circle. Besides the old chalkboard that hung on the wall in front of them and the wooden desk that Mr. Anderson had claimed, the room had nothing else. It wasn't out of the ordinary though, this was a small recreational center that an organization picked up and held different events in, nothing more.

"Thanks, I haven't had the time to work on it. I don't even have time for school. I've been missing a lot of days so I could work for some money. I've been thrown around a lot, from newspaper boy to a nanny."

The older man chuckled then nodded.

"Yet you find a way to come here, huh? Your mom told me. She said you work hard to help with the mortgage."

P.J gave his teacher a surprised look.

"Sh-She said that? When?" he dared to ask, obviously curious.

"I've called your house a couple of times. I decided to take it upon myself and meet your parents-"

"Parent. My dad's dead."

A thick blanket of silence came over them as P.J began to nervously shuffle his feet. Mr. Anderson knew that action. He also picked up on a lot of other actions from the boy - he was a full-time therapist on the weekdays after all. None of his students knew though, especially the boy who was standing in front him. He couldn't help but be concerned. The real reason behind him wanting to speak to P.J's mother was because a few weeks ago, when one of the students knocked over a jar of guitar picks that sat idly on his desk, P.J had freaked. He jumped out of his seat and began to breath heavily. Embarrased by the number of stares he got, he ran out of the room and refused to come back. Knowing this wasn't exactly a normal reaction for a teenage boy, Mr. Anderson's therapedic side sprung into action. He dealt with cases like this before, he just never thought that one of his students would turn out to have a bad case of paranoia. He especially never thought he'd get himself involved.

"Wow, I'm sorry. Would you like to sit with me and talk about it?" he kindly offered, secretly hoping the boy would oblige.

P.J shook his head and kept his gaze on his shoes.

Mr. Anderson knew that look. It was a look of shame.

"N-No, it's okay. I'll just get back home now. Bye Mr. A, see you next saturday." P.J said as he left the room.

Unable to do anything, Mr. Anderson watched the boy leave. He was determined to find out more. He had a strong feeling that something went horribly wrong in the boys life.

He promised himself that he'd find out and help him in anyway possible.

* * *

"Gabe? Baby, it's time to go!" Amy called, searching the empty locker room for her son. Amy's heart reluctantly sped up as she searched high and low for him.

"Gabe? Gabe! Where are you baby?" she called once more, now nervous and shaking.

_'Stop it Amy, just calm down. He's got to be here somewhere'_ she mentally told herself, continuing to look for her son. Just then, small cries emerged from one of the lockers and Amy now knew where he was. She even knew why. Mentally cursing at herself for scaring him, she turned her tone into a gentle one.

"Gabriel? Baby boy, it's momma. Where are you honey, we need to leave."

Gabe's cries became a bit louder as he called out for his mother.

"Mommy?" he questioned, not opening the locker door. Amy followed his voice then found the locker he was hiding in. She knew that he had to come out on his own or else things would end up bad, so she leaned on the one next to it and patiently waited.

"Gabe sweetie, I'm right here. Can you come out please?" she asked. The boy's cries became hectic and he could hardly speak.

"I-Is it r-really y-you?" he struggled to say, curled up into a tight ball. His eyes were squeezed shut as he tried to forget him. He desperately tried to get the images of the boogeyman out of his head. He had scared Gabe earlier, calling out his name in a low and scary voice. He had no other choice but to hide in one of the lockers, hoping Amy would come and rescue him. This happened plenty of times before. It was rare, but it happened. Gabe often confused people for the boogeyman, a black shadow that visited his dreams and threatened to hurt him and his mother. Amy knew exactly who Gabe's boogeyman was, she just didn't want to confirm it to him. It was all in his head and she knew that, but what she didn't understand was why it continued to happen after all of these years. She remembered her sister Helen telling her that Gabe, incuding herself along with the rest of her kids, needed to see a therapist. She refused to accept that, just like she refused to accept a lot of things that had happened in her life. _That had happened to this broken family._

_'No. They're not broken Amy. Don't you dare say that! Everything will get better. Now, just focus on getting your son'._

Were things really going to get better? She could only hope as the blue locker door finally swung open.

"Gabe, there you are. I was looking for you. Are you okay?" she asked sweetly, noticing the tears strolling down his red strained cheeks. Gabe reached out for her to carry him and despite how heavy he was to her, she obliged.

"I-I'm s-s-sorry mom. The b-boogeyman was h-here."

Amy held her son close and rubbed his back. She felt him shaking uncontrollably in her arms but she willed herself to pay no attention to it. No matter how much it saddened her, she needed to be strong for him.

"It's fine Gabe. Don't worry, he's gone now. It's just me and you. Okay? Let's get out of here and put you in the car." she said as she left the locker room and began to walk through the soccer field. On her way out, Gabe's coach bumped into her.

"Ms. Duncan! Hey, is everything okay with Gabe?" he asked as his eyes fell on the shaking ten year old.

"Yeah, he's fine. He just had a little trouble in the locker room, that's all. I better get going, see you later." she said as she moved to her car quicker. Coach Ronald Hanes knew Gabe had a complicated life, but he never really asked about it.

He thought maybe one of these days, for the sake of one of the most dedicated players on his team, he should.

* * *

As Amy reached her door, her two other children along with Ivy, appeared after her. Teddy and P.J suddenly became very quiet and waited for Amy to open the door. Gabe, who was right beside her, gave the dark-skinned girl an unwelcoming look.

"Hello Ms. Duncan! Hey Gabe, hey Charlie!" Ivy exclaimed while waiting behind them. Charlie shyly smiled then waved, hiding in her mothers shoulder.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Gabe asked, obviously upset with her presence. Teddy shot him a glare that meant trouble so he quickly turned away.

"Gabe! Be nice to Ivy, she knows she's welcome to come over anytime she wants." Amy said as she finally got the front door open. She held it open for everyone, but only got a thank you from Ivy.

"We need to start our project. I'll get us some snacks, you can head downstairs." Teddy instructed as she watched the girl nod her head then leave. She waited until Ivy was fully gone then took a minute to address her mother.

"Do me a favor and stay out of the basement while me and Ivy are down there. I don't want you speaking to her."

Amy couldn't look at her daughter. If she did, she'd feel intimidated then have the sudden urge to cry. So instead she looked at the floor and nodded. Teddy walked into the kitchen then walked right out, slamming the door to the basement behind her. P.J saw what happened but said nothing and quietly walked up the stairs. Gabe felt bad for his mother. He wanted to defend her, he wanted to help her... but how?

"Mom, can I play in the backyard?" he asked, attempting to leave. He knew Amy needed sometime to breath.

"Sure, I'll stay here with Char-"

"No, I'll take her upstairs for a nap. Maybe you should call Aunt Helen and talk to her."

Amy looked at her son. He always gave her that suggestion. It was because he knew her. He knew when Amy needed someone, other then the four walls in her room, to cry too. He knew that there was something wrong with her, even if they both failed to admit. In fact, Gabe knew more then she would expect. He just kept that, along with his repetitive nightmares, a secret. He didn't like to worry her. So despite his rare illusions of the boogeyman, Amy thought her son was fine.

Gabe didn't want her to know she was wrong.

* * *

Helen Blankenhooper sighed as her sister began to vent about her day. She was no therapist, she didn't know what to tell her sister in order to make her feel better. All she could do was listen and pray that Amy's life wouldn't continue to crumble.

"Amy, maybe I should go over there. Maybe I can help out, get P.J and Teddy to have a talk with you." Helen suggested, sipping at her coffee. The blonde on the other end of the line immediately retaliated.

"No, no. You can't do that Helen. They'll hate me even more and-"

"Ames, do you hear yourself? Those two are not supposed to hate you! Especially after all you did for them when Bob completely flipped his lid." Helen said, awaiting a response.

Amy sighed then checked the staircase and made sure no one was coming.

"I... I just can't force them, ya' know? I already tried talking to them. They don't listen. I'd rather let them be." Amy insisted, hoping her sister would drop the idea. But of course, Helen continued.

"Then what? Kiss their ass so they could at least give you three minutes out of the day? No, Amy. You can't let them treat you like this. You've been through enough hell as it is."

"They've been through hell too Helen! Bob was always drunk! They had to watch him beat me and... they just need time to heal is all."

Amy felt her eyes water and her hands shake. She didn't know what this was or why it happened, but it happened a lot. Helen called it paranoia.

"If you don't get help sooner or later, one of these kids or even _you_ will explode and it will NOT be pretty Ames. Go see a therapist, set up a meeting. Please Amy, you have to..."

Amy froze up at the word "Help". Help? She didn't need help. She was perfectly fine and so were her kids. They did not need to see a therapist and she made sure to remind her sister of that.

"I do not need to see a damn shrink, Helen! How dare you even bring that up?"

Gabe, who had been standing near the kitchen door through the whole conversation, stood in shock by Amy's words. His father hit Amy? No, he _beat_ her. Gabe might have been ten but he knew how bad a beating was. There was once a kid in his class, Donny Chapman, who was being abused by his father. He used to come to school with a black eye everyday. Until one day, he just stopped coming. A week later, his whole class found out that he died. They never said what for, until he heard his mother talk about it with Mary Lou Wentz. They said it was child abuse and it had gotten so bad that his father beat him to death. The little boy gulped then stepped away from the kitchen door, tears suddenly blinding his eyes.

His mother never told him that Bob had abused her. No one told him. Feeling hurt, Gabe ran out to the backyard and began to plot new ways to sabotage Mrs. Dabney. Anything to distract himself from the news he just discovered.

_'Dad hit her... he... he... beat her' _he mentally thought. No. He couldn't let this get to him. He couldn't let this haunt him. Frustrated, Gabe stood up and paced, trying desperately to push those words out of his head.

No longer being able to control it, he furiously kicked the backyard door. He stopped once he realized the new dent in it. Amy heard the noise and flew to the scene, still on the phone with Helen.

"Gabe, honey, what happened?" she asked, staring at the dent in the door. Gabe quickly recovered and got himself to calm down.

"I, uh, I kicked the football to hard." he lied, switching his gaze to the football that sat on the grass just inches away from him. Amy stood silent for a moment then finally spoke.

"Yeah Helen, he's fine. Um, Gabe, just be more careful. Okay?"

The young boy nodded then watched his mother walk away.

He clearly needed to breath.

**TBC**

**Review?**


	4. Making A Move

_**Author's Note: Hello! I'm sorry I took a bit longer to update, but I promise that won't happen again. However, I wanted to thank you all for the alerts, favorites and reviews. It means so, so much to me. Well, on with the story! Enjoy!**_

**Story Title: Far From Gone**

**Written By: ButterflyCryx**

* * *

**Chapter Four: Making A Move**

As the kids got to sleep, Amy did a quick check-in. It became a habit of hers, something she always did when she needed reassurance. When she needed that bit of strength to keep going. One look at their peaceful faces and she knew everything was going to be okay. After checking on P.J, who was snoring rather loudly, she bravely descended the basement stairs and peeked into Teddy's room. She was careful not to slide the door too much, not wanting to wake her daughter up and upset her. She caught a glimpse of Teddy's face and smiled. She stood longer then she intended, just watching her oldest daughters chest rise and fall. She seemed so angelic, so safe. Amy knew in her heart that she would always love her baby girl. No matter what she did or said, she'd love her and wait for her with open arms. She knew Teddy would eventually come around, all she needed was time. Time to let her wounded heart heal and for her to accept the _truth_. Just like she knew P.J would as well. She could at least hope. Sighing, she reluctantly departed from the door and made her trip back to the living room.

If only she knew a pair of brown eyes had watched her go up the steps, finally able to go to sleep after the nightly visit she was used to receiving.

* * *

Sunday had went by in a flash and It was now Monday morning. Teddy groaned at the sun that blinded her. She looked at the alarm clock that sat idly on her bedside table. 8am. Crap. She was going to be late for school. Jumping out of bed, Teddy cursed at the air and blamed her mother for not waking her up on time. She rummaged through her closet and put on the first thing she could find. After she was fully dressed, she raced to the bathroom upstairs so she could brush her teeth and brush her hair. When she was done, the first thing she saw when she got out was her Aunt Helen.

Surprised, Teddy stopped for a moment.

"Hey Teds, what's up?" The tall, petite brunette asked as she waited for an answer.

"Uh... hey aunt Helen. What are you doing here?" She questioned, obviously not expecting the sudden visit. The hazel-eyed woman smiled then took her nieces hand. She walked her to the kitchen where Charlie was eating her favorite cereal.

"Hi Teddy!" She happily chimed while sticking a spoon full of Lucky Charms in her mouth.

"Hey Charlie. Um, where's Amy and my brothers?" The teenager asked. Helen tried to suppress the sting in her heart once she heard her niece call her sister by her first name. She gave the hungry teenager a plate of bacon with scrambled eggs.

"Your mother took them to school, then she went straight to work. You sure are a heavy sleeper, kid." The older woman commented as she drank some of her freshly brewed coffee. Teddy just stared at her. She didn't know what was going on but she was sure to find out.

"Yeah, that still doesn't explain what you're doing here."

"Oh! My bad, well I thought you could take a break from school and hang out with me today."

Teddy blinked. She loved her aunt, she honestly did, but she did _not_ want to spend a whole day with her. Helen Blankenhooper, who was not married, was a bit nutty and had the tendency to do crazy as well as embarrassing things. Teddy remember when her mom used to be like that...

No. She couldn't think about Amy in that way. Besides, that stopped a long time ago. Teddy sighed and sat in the chair across from her little sister.

"I don't think that's such a good idea. Besides, I have this... thing in school." Teddy said, sticking a piece of pancake in her mouth. She was surprised that they actually tasted good. The Blankenhoopers weren't very good cooks, something her mother sadly picked up on.

"Eh, forget school for today. We're gonna take a drive somewhere. Sounds good?"

Teddy rolled her eyes behind her aunt's back then thought of another excuse.

"What about Charlie? If we're supposed to hang out, where will she stay?" The blonde asked.

Helen took the four year olds empty bowl then dumped it in the sink.

"Pre-school. You forgot those existed or...?" Helen teased as she began to wash the dishes.

Teddy groaned. Of course. It was Monday after all. She sighed then nibbled on a bacon strip.

"Well, since I have no say, can you at least tell me where we're going?" she tried, in hopes of convincing her. Helen handed her a glass of orange juice with a smile.

"Nope. Now, finish up so we could get this little monster to pre-school. C'mon Charlie, let's get your jacket." The aunt instructed as she took her youngest nieces hand and guided her to the living room. The weather outside was sunny but due to the approach of fall, there was a slight breeze. Teddy looked at her backyard door. She realized the deep dent in it and thought about how it got there. She put her thoughts aside and finished the last of her breakfast. Standing up, she took one last look at the door then walked out.

* * *

Gabe couldn't concentrate. Ever since he found out about his father and the abuse his mother endured, his mind had gone corrupt. The math problems on the chalkboard in front of him seemed foreign. He tried to put all of his focus on it, but failed miserably. He sighed then put his pencil down. He just couldn't get himself to forget. His mothers words swarmed in his head as he silently wondered why she kept it from him._ '__They've been through hell too Helen! Bob was always drunk! They had to watch him beat me and... they just need time to heal is all.' _No. It couldn't be true. It just couldn't. Gabe silently wondered why his father did what he did, then seemed so casual about it the very next day. He might of been young, but he knew he wasn't imagining the smile on Bob's face when he kissed Amy's cheek.

But he never really realized the flinch in Amy's face either. Or the way she would tense up when Bob was near her. Gabe knew his father went out a lot at night, even on work days. That was it. So how come he never witnessed anything? Was he _that _obviously?

_'Why would he beat her? Why? What made him do that...'_

"Gabe?" Mrs. Campbell called. Gabe picked his head up and noticed the whole class staring at him. He bashfully smiled then straightened in his seat.

"Yes?"

"Are you okay?" the concerned teacher asked.

"Uh, yeah." he lied, giving her a smile.

If his family were such good liars, maybe he could be one too.

* * *

Teddy couldn't remember the last time she laughed like this. As she kept flinging popcorn at her Aunt Helen, the older woman laughed and launched some back. They both giggled as the couple in front of them turned around and rolled their eyes in annoyance. They were at the Denver Cinema and were currently _not _watching _'The Vow'. _As emotional as the movie was, they both couldn't help but think it was boring. Helen, as usual, had to throw popcorn at Teddy and caused a mini war. When the employee at the movie theater walked in and asked them to leave, the two girls instantly shut up and did as told. Once they were scolded for being too noisy and asked to leave with a warning, Teddy sadly thought the fun was over. As soon as they reached the car, Helen burst out laughing and so did the teenager.

"Man, I haven't got kicked out of a movie in ages! Did you see the guys face? He was so mad!" Helen said, buckling her seat belt. Teddy nodded her head then laughed. This was the crazy aunt she loved. No matter how embarrassing she could be, Teddy was grateful for the silly things she did, just to cheer her up. She honestly needed a break, at least Helen was kind enough to give her that. With the stress of school, her home life and her dreadful past, she needed an escape now and then.

"I know! It was so funny! We really annoyed the people in front of us."

"So what! It was a garbage movie anyway." Helen claimed as she began to drive. Teddy shook her head with a smile then looked out her window. Silence came between the two of them and Helen saw this as her opportunity to talk to her niece.

"So, how's life Teds? Talk to me."

Teddy didn't break her gaze from the window but replied.

"It's okay, I guess."

"You guess? How so?" Helen asked. Teddy watched everything rush past her as she took a deep breath.

"Well, I just... I don't know." she admitted. Helen kept her eyes on the road then dared to ask another question.

"What's been going on with you and your mom?"

Teddy looked away from the window and was now facing her aunt.

"Did she put you up to this?" Teddy questioned. Helen sighed.

"Answer me, Teds."

"No, you answer me first!"

Damn it. Helen knew she was losing her. She shifted in her seat then stopped the car. They were a few blocks away from the house so she decided to have this conversation here. She knew her niece and she knew that if things became too much for her, she'd get out of the car and run away. At least she wouldn't be far from home if she made that decision.

"Teddy, it was my idea. Me and your mom were talking last night and I-"

"Unbelievable! I should have known! I missed a whole day of school because she doesn't have the balls to approach me on her own!" Teddy exclaimed, obviously upset.

"Hey! Watch your mouth! Do you honestly think you've given her much of a choice? From what I understand, you barely give her a chance to speak Teddy."

Teddy stopped for a moment. She hadn't been very respectful towards her mother, that was true. She had her reasons. Reasons that were enough to make her despise the woman. It was her fault that her father died. She practically drove him to do it. She practically drove him to kill himself. That's what his letter that he left for them said. So why should she treat her with respect? Why should she give her the opportunity to speak to her? She didn't deserve it. Just like her dad said.

"Whatever." she muttered, folding her arms in front of her chest. Helen looked at her.

"Are you still afraid of closets, Teddy? Do you still have a missing closet door in your room?"

The younger girl shot her a look then got out of the car, rapidly walking ahead.

"You can't keep walking away from it Teddy! It's only going to come back twice as hard!" Helen yelled, as the girl wiped vigorously at her tears then continued to walk away.

Helen sat back in her seat then sighed. She knew she screwed up, but she couldn't help it. The sixteen year old was afraid of _closets_. When she was younger, her anxiety got so bad, that Amy had to remove the closet door just so she could sleep at night. That wasn't normal, Helen knew it. The fact that the girl still had that anxiety... worried her. She got her answer just by the way her niece reacted to the question. She got her phone out and made a quick call, taking the next step.

"Hello? Dr. Anderson? This is Helen Blankenhooper calling. Yes, we spoke before..."

* * *

"A therapist? You set up a meeting, for me and the kids, to see a therapist?" Amy exclaimed as her older sister sighed.

"Yes, Ames. A therapist. You need to-"

"I don't need to do anything, Helen! These kids are going to be so mad once they find out they have to attend a meeting so they could speak with a shrink. Jesus, I can't even..."

"Amy, relax. Just breath. This man specializes in family-based conflicts. He's a great doctor, he knows what he's doing. You need this Amy. After all of those years of mental and physical abuse..." Helen trailed off once she spotted her sisters face. She knew that look. It was the look Amy made whenever she felt sick. Whenever she remembered what Bob did to her or said to her, causing nausea to build in the pit of her stomach. She looked down at her feet and tried to concentrate on the design. She started to breath heavily and she could feel her heart beat fast. Helen rushed to her side and tried to calm her down. She had done this many times before. When Amy used to bring the kids on Saturday's, attempting to escape her husband. She would cry on Helen's shoulder and almost catch a heart attack. Helen told her so many times to leave the drunken bastard. Amy always refused, saying it would hurt her kids. She'd beg her sister not to call the police whenever she showed up with a black eye. There was this one night, when Amy showed up at her house so destroyed. It was as if she was attacked by some untamed animal, shocking Helen and the kids. P.J and Teddy were conscious of what happened but had already built a defense mechanism in their minds so they wouldn't think about it. During that time, Gabe wasn't even born yet. In fact, although Amy thought her sister didn't know (thanks to her journal entries that gave it away) she knew it was that very night when Gabe was conceived...

"I don't want to speak to a therapist. I don't want to talk about the domestic violence or the-" Amy stopped herself before she got to say it. She began to cry then started for the living room, but instantly froze when she spotted Gabe sitting on the couch.

"Mom? What's wrong?" he immediately asked, approaching her. She wiped her tears away then smiled.

"Nothing baby, I'm fine."

Just then, Teddy walked out of the basement and frowned at the sight of her mother and her aunt.

"What are _you_ still doing here?" she asked Helen, who's face instantly tightened.

"I'm here cause I **can** be here, Teds. Cut the attitude."

The teenager rolled her eyes then tried to push past her mother. Helen grabbed her then made her sit.

"What in the-"

"Hush! Gabe, go get your older brother. Charlie's still having a nap so now would be the perfect time to call this family meeting."

Amy shot her a pleading look. The woman, who Gabe resembled more than his own mother, had shot her back a reassuring one. The blonde let out a shaky breath then felt her hands uncontrollably shake. Helen saw this and rubbed her back for support. Teddy watched with careful eyes and examined the two.

Something was definitely up and she wasn't sure if she was going to like it.

**TBC**

**A/N: Please, please, _please_ review. If you want me to continue, I need some of your encouragement. Thanks for reading!**


	5. Hate

_**Author's Note: Here's chapter 5! *cheers and screams* thanks for the continued support you guys, I appreciate it! I've been staying up these past few nights watching GLC while thinking of more ideas for funny one-shots as well as drama-filled ones! I'm excited to share them with you all. Well, anyways, I hope you're all doing good and having fun this summer! I also hope you enjoy this next installment of 'Far From Gone'. **_

**Story Title: Far From Gone**

**Written By: ButterflyCryx**

* * *

**Chapter Five: Hate**

Teddy watched her mother with careful eyes as she took a seat on the couch. It wasn't until P.J walked in that she had looked away. The eighteen year old had a perplexed expression, but said nothing and took a seat beside his sister. Since there was a huge gap between Amy and her two oldest kids, Gabe sat there with Charlie. Helen examined their faces before speaking, wondering if she really made the right decision. She knew it didn't matter, it was too late to turn back anyway. Taking a deep breath, she began.

"I'm not going to stand here and give you a long, pointless speech about the importance of family or whatever. So, I'm just gonna say it-" she paused for a moment and looked at her sister. Amy gave her a pleading look, but all she got back was a reassuring one. The kids waited anxiously, except for Charlie who seemed to be interested in Gabe's fingers. Helen licked her lips, then finally spoke again.

"I've set each of you up for an appointment- with a therapist."

Teddy's eyes widen and her face suddenly became red. P.J looked down at his shoes, not knowing what to say or think. Gabe's mouth opened to say something, but he immediately closed it. Charlie, however, looked up and tried to process her aunt's words. Her four year old mind didn't know what she meant, but tried hard to understand.

"What's that momma?" she asked, turning to Amy for guidance. The blonde gave her a small smile then waited for someone to say something.

_Anything._

Finally, after a few more seconds, Teddy spoke.

"What?" she said, narrowing her eyes at Helen. The brunette cleared her throat then tried to find the right words to say.

"Look, I know that all of you would prefer to stick to your daily routines and suffer in this house, but-"

"A therapist? Why the hell would I need to see a therapist?" Teddy snapped, staring her aunt down. Helen couldn't help but feel a bit intimidated; her niece definitely inherited that from her father.

"Teddy, it's for your own good."

"No, No, NO! I refuse to sit in a room with a complete stranger and let him _shrink _me!" Teddy defended, standing up from her chair. P.J looked up at her then grabbed her hand. Surprised by this action, Teddy looked down at her older brother.

"Teds, just sit down and listen to her._ Please._" P.J begged. Teddy's eyes softened and she could tell her brother was being sincere. She swallowed hard then shot her aunt a glare before sitting back down.

"Why did you do this to us?" the teenager asked, waiting for an answer.

"Because, Teddy. Your mother has suffered through so much. You know this, you witnessed it. You and P.J. It's caused a lot of corruption for this family. There's too much hate, disrespect and distance. It's not good for Gabe or for Charlie. The best way to help make things better, is to talk it out." Helen explained. P.J looked at his mother with guilty eyes, knowing exactly what his aunt was talking about. He suddenly felt those horrid memories coming back into his mind. He quickly shut them out by putting his attention towards Helen. He couldn't remember, not now.

"Fine, you wanna talk it out? Let's talk it out right now." Teddy ordered. Amy looked up with a rush of panic practically flowing through her viens.

"Let's start with mom."

Amy could of sworn she heard how fast her heart was beating.

"Teddy, you need to-"

"So, mom, do you have anything you want to say?" Teddy challenged, looking at her mother. They all waited for Amy to respond. The older woman's tears began to fall as she spoke.

"No. I don't"

And with that said, Amy stood up, grabbed Charlie off of the couch and made her way to her room. Gabe watched his mother walk up the stairs then decided to follow seconds after. Teddy scoffed then left the living room so she could go to the backyard. P.J just sat there, silent. Helen sat next to him and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Are you okay kid?" she asked, obviously concerned. P.J fought back his tears, still unsure if he should tell his miserable life story to a therapist or fight back like his sister was.

"I-I don't know."

Helen pulled her nephew closer, then embraced him. She felt bad for doing this without consulting them first, but it was truly for their own good. They would have disagreed to go anyway, that she was certain of. She kissed the top of P.J's head then promised him everything was going to be alright.

With this family, she could only hope.

* * *

"Mom..." Gabe said, entering Amy's room. The small woman was laying on her bed, curled up in a blanket. Gabe examined the blanket for a minute and realized it was Teddy's. It was her favorite since she was two, but stopped using it when she was twelve. Gabe remembered why she stopped sleeping with it; she claimed it gave her to many bad memories. The same reason why she had her closet door removed. He sighed then approached his mother, looking directly into her eyes. She avoided his, but eventually looked back. Since Charlie was in her room, playing with her toys, the two of them were alone.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what sweetie?"

"About dad... he... he... hit you."

Amy winced at those words. She had dreaded the day that Gabe would find out. She honestly didn't expect it to be this soon. She knew he was going to be upset at her, she was sure of it. She took a deep breath, then explained.

"Because I didn't want you to hate me, to see me the way the others do."

Gabe knew she was talking about P.J and Teddy. He knelt in front of her then took her hand, not breaking their eye contact. Surprised by this, Amy stood shut and waited for her son to respond.

"Mom, I can never hate you. When I overheard you talking about it with aunt Helen on Saturday, I honestly thought I would. Not because dad hit you, I know that's not your fault. It was because you hid it from me. Everyone in this family did. That's why I kicked the backyard door. I'm sorry I lied and said It was because of the football, I was just really angry. I can't hate you, mommy. I never will."

Amy didn't know why God had blessed her with such an understanding son, but she was so grateful that he did. She smiled through her endless flow of tears, then held his hand tighter.

"Thank you baby boy, I appreciate it. I know your only ten and this might be hard to process, but momma's right here. Okay?"

Gabe nodded then reached out for a hug. He had a ton of questions, but he knew that it could wait until later. Right now, his mother was all that mattered.

* * *

Teddy sat on the grass in her backyard and became lost in her thoughts. She couldn't believe the audacity of her aunt. How could she do this to them? They didn't need to see a shrink, they didn't need someone elses pity. They already recieved it from half of the people in their town. Everyone knew about Bob and how he used to drink almost everynight. They knew it wasn't long before he became a drunk and took it out on his own wife. How could they not? The screams and cries for help certaintely gave it away. Teddy was sure the whole neighborhood had heard them. Since they were surrounded by gossipers, the news was bound to spread like wildfire. Everyone had given Amy sad looks, some even shook their heads at her. What bothered Teddy was that her mother actually accepted this, letting the whispers and stares continue. After Bob died, rumors about Amy actually killing him began to go around. A police officer even asked her if she did. In Teddy's perspective, Amy was just as responsible as the bottle of pills that took her fathers life.

The teenager laid back into the grass, observing the sky. It was cloudy and the sun was barely out. She heard the backyard door open then faint footsteps approach her. Someone laid beside her and she could feel them looking at her. She turned her head and faced P.J.

"You okay?"

"No."

"Wanna talk?"

"No."

"Teds-"

"P.J, please."

The older boy sighed but knew he couldn't give up. He was going to get his sister to talk, he was determined. It was better that she talked to him then a complete stranger.

"You have to stop."

"Stop what?"

"You have to stop treating mom like that..."

The teenage girl sat up then looked down at her older brother.

"Like you've been treating her any better!" she snapped. P.J sat up as well then gave his sister a guilty look. He knew he had been terrible to Amy, but that didn't mean he didn't feel bad about it. He had a lot to be angry about, but he should of known better then to take it out on his mother. When he realized that that was exactly what Bob had done to her, he knew he needed to stop. As much as he hated himself for it, _he_ became the abuser, along with his sister. For the past three years they treated Amy like trash and blamed her for everything. They blamed her for being weak. They blamed her for all of the nights Bob came home drunk out of his mind. The yelling. The fighting. They even blamed her for every punch, slap and kick she endured. They told her she wasn't a good enough woman, that she was horrible to Bob and that's why she was his main target. P.J was honestly digusted with himself. How could they blame Amy when she was clearly the victim? He realized this a short while ago, when he heard one of his mothers nightmares at 3am. Teddy, however, still believed it. She still believed her fathers words. Bob manipulated them, enforcing his lies into their small brains. He took advantage of the fact that they were kids, knowing that if he could convince them that the Easter Bunny was real, he could convince them of anything. P.J now knew this, but wished he took notice of it back then.

There was one particular thing that Bob had said to them. It was something that P.J believed to be true at first, but wasn't sure of anymore. It was the main reason why he was so angry at Amy. Bob had said she cheated on him, which caused him to act the way he did. P.J remembered it all too well. He remembered a lot of nights, but one in particular. The way the strong smell of alcohol emerged from his father's mouth, seeping into his blue and white striped pajama's...

***flashback***

_The house was finally silent. Ten year old P.J and eight year old Teddy had been locked in their parents closet for two whole hours. If someone asked them how many times they had been locked in there, they wouldn't be able to answer. There were countless days where Bob had left them in there for the whole night, too drunk to hear their pleas or cries. Amy was either knocked out cold from the numerous hits she endured or locked in the basement. P.J didn't like being in a closet, it had very little space and it was too dark. Not as much as his little sister, though. Teddy was fast asleep in his arms after crying for what seemed like forever. The screams from Amy had scared her to the point where she started to hyperventalite. P.J, being the big brother he was, knew he had to do something to make her feel better. So he counted to a hundred with her, waiting for her to get tired and fall asleep. It became a routine for the two. Now here she was, laying on his chest, snoring away. He smiled slightly then listened for any sounds. He heard soft crying, but he knew it wasn't Amy. It was his two year old brother Gabe. He could hear him from the other room and knew the little boy must've woken up, scared and alone. P.J shook his sister lightly, hoping she would wake up._

_"Teds? Teds, c'mon. Wake up." he whispered into her ear, nudging her a bit harder. The girls eye's fluttered open and she immediately sat up._

_"P.J... where's mommy?" she asked. P.J sighed then answered._

_"I don't know Teds. I don't hear em' anymore." _

_Teddy's bottom lip quivered as she realized Gabe wasn't with them._

_"Where's Gabe?" she asked, searching the closet frantically. P.J sighed once more, but answered._

_"He's in my room Teds. He was just crying. We need to get out of here so we can get him."_

_"How? Were locked in. Daddy's not going to let us out until-"_

_Teddy was interrupted by the sound of loud footsteps and the room door swinging open. They could hear Bob's hitched breathing as he searched for his children._

_"Teddy, P.J, where are you?" he called, still a bit drunk. He suddenly remembered they were in the closet and swung it open._

_"There you are, come out here kids. Daddy's got something to tell you." he slurred as he sat on the bed. Teddy looked into his bloodshot eyes and desperately wished for her **real **father to come back. P.J and Teddy both crawled out then approached the man before them. Bob was wearing a white T-Shirt, black jeans and brown boots. Teddy noticed the blood smears on his shirt and the scratch marks on his face. She knew her mother tried to fight back. The little girl gulped. _

_For the sake of Amy's life, she wished she hadn't._

_"C'mere, I'm not going to bite." he said with a low chuckle. Teddy looked at her brother for assurance and he nodded in return. Bob patted his lap and the two kids hestitantly climbed onto it. He held their backs then began to speak._

_"Your mommy has been a bad, bad girl," he began, pausing to breath. The stench of Vodka was so strong that Teddy had to cover her mouth in order to avoid smelling it. P.J just held his breath from time to time. The drunk man finally continued._

_"She did something very bad, kids. She made daddy very angry. She's a slut. You hear me? Your mother is nothing but a filthy **slut**."_

_Teddy couldn't help but cry again, knowing what the word meant. P.J felt like punching his fathers face in, but he knew better then that. _

_"She fucked another man. You wanna know why? Cause she's a slut, that's why!" he exclaimed. The kids winced at his bad use of language, but remained silent._

_"She cheated on me, kids. She's a whore! She doesn't love us, any of us! Were not good enough for her. She'd rather be with another man!" he yelled, pausing once more to burp. P.J grimaced at the smell then covered his nose. Just then, the sound of a toddler crying filtered the air and P.J knew he had to leave the room._

_"Dad, Gabe's crying-"_

_"Shhhhhhhhhh. I'm talkin', boy. Respect your father." _

_P.J stood silent as he listened to his baby brother continue to cry. Every time Bob started to speak, the little boy would only cry louder. Bob became frustrated and moved the two kids from his lap. He stood up and walked out of the room, entering P.J's. Little Gabe was found sitting on the floor with his binky in his mouth. His big brown eyes stared up at his tall father. He reached out for him as his tears continued to stroll down his cheeks. Bob picked him up and held him. _

_"C'mon kids, lets go nighty-night." Bob announced as he walked back to his bedroom. He laid on the bed and encouraged his children to do the same. Within minutes, he was fast asleep. The three siblings laid with him, but didn't fall asleep._

_"P.J?" Gabe said. P.J quietly sat up and spotted his little brother. He was curled up into his fathers side, but his brown eyes were wide open. He sat up just like his big brother then looked around the room. His binky was still in his mouth, he never really let go of it._

_"Teddy, where's Teddy?" the small boy asked. P.J put a finger over his lips, signaling for him to be quiet. Gabe nodded in understanding then watched as his older sister sat up._

_"We should go get mommy." Teddy whispered as she carefully crawled off of the bed. She didn't want to wake her father up, she had learned not to make that mistake from the last time. P.J nodded in agreement then crawled out of the bed too. Gabe did the same thing and waddled to where his brother and sister were standing. Teddy picked him up then kissed his cheek. They all left the room then descended the stairs. They searched the kitchen and the living room._

_Amy was nowhere to be found._

_"Maybe she's with the other man." Teddy suggested, tears filling her eyes once more. She didn't understand why her mother would do this. Did she not love them? Did she leave them because they weren't good enough for her, like her father had said? P.J put his arm around his sisters shoulder and assured her that Amy would never do something like that. In fact, the blonde was only a floor beneath them._

_"She probably went to aunt Helen's house. She'd never do that, Teds." the brave ten year old assured._

_In that moment, in the silent home that was just filled with screams and terrors, P.J hoped he was right._

* * *

P.J looked down at his lap then let out a sigh. He hated remembering. He hated the fact that loud noises made him jumpy and his breathing all weird. He hated closets. He hated a lot of things, but right now, he hated himself.

"I know." he finally said. He avoided looking at his sister. He knew she was probably upset.

"So what now? You're gonna kiss her ass and be mommy's little prince again?"

There it was. She was definitely mad. She shook her head then stood up, placing her hands on her hips. P.J amped up the courage to look at Teddy, waiting for her to speak again. He knew she had a lot to stay. Helen watched quietly from the door, hoping to go unnoticied.

"Fine, go and be her best friend again P.J. I don't care. What she did to dad was the reason why he became so fucked up in the first place! Don't you dare act like that's not true."

She stomped off and opened the backyard door that led to the living room, slamming it behind her. Helen was long gone by then, but was shocked by her nieces words.

Out of all them, Teddy definitely had **a lot** to work on.

* * *

_**A/N: So... *holds breath* what do you think? Any questions? Thoughts? Comments? Criticism? Leave a review or PM me. Thanks SO much for reading. Until next time!**_


	6. The Duncans Go To Therapy

_**Author's Note: Well hello there my fellow readers! This chapter took me a while to write, but I managed to pull through. You'll probably question a specific part of it, but that's to be expected. I hope you're all doing well and having the time of your lives this summer! I'm going on trips to amusement parks, pools and beaches this month so my story updates may take a bit longer. Thanks for all of the support! Enjoy!**_

**Story Title: Far From Gone**

**Written By: ButterflyCryx**

* * *

**Chapter Six: The Duncans Go To Therapy **

As the stressful Monday came to an end, Amy began her nightly check-in with the kids. She tucked Gabe in after promising him that she'd answer all of his questions the next day, then went into Charlie's room and tucked her in as well. P.J was already asleep, snoring loudly as usual. She took a deep breath and went into the basement. She carefully slid the door open and spotted her daughters sleeping figure. She smiled at the sight and immediately felt secure again. She always felt better when she knew her children were safe in their beds and not locked inside of a closet, crying out for someone to save them. She leaned her head against the wall and quietly watched Teddy, who shifted a bit but remained asleep. Before Amy's sister left, she announced that their first therapy session was on Friday. After a few arguments and tears, Helen miraculously convinced Teddy to at_ least_ give it a try. Amy wasn't sure what to think of it, but was admittedly grateful that they would be seperated for the first few visits. They would eventually come together as a family, but Helen explained to them that they each had to make progress before doing so. Amy sighed then finally departed from the basement. Teddy silently listened to her footsteps as she left, the same dreary feeling entering her heart again. She quickly shook it off, angry that she allowed herself to feel such a way, then eventually fell asleep.

* * *

The week went by in a flash and it was now Friday. P.J laid in his bed and stared at the ceiling, debating on whether he should get up or not. The house was silent, as usual, but that was normal for the Duncan family. No one said much, expect for Charlie and Gabe who always seemed to be fighting or nagging Amy for something. The teenage boy honestly missed the mornings his mother used to tickle him and Teddy out of bed. He was only two and it lasted until he was about five, but he remembered those moments clearly. Although most of his childhood was damaged, he managed to hold onto the little memories that were good. The little memories that still made him smile, no matter how tough things were.

A knock to his door brought him out of his thoughts and P.J quickly answered.

"Come in!" he called. His little brother opened the door then approached him with a small smile.

"Hey bud, what's up?"

"Hey… I, uh… are you still going to therapy today? Mom wants to know." Gabe asked, nervous for his answer. P.J sat up then sighed. He ran his left hand through his hair and collected his thoughts before speaking.

"Yeah, I guess." the eighteen year old finally said. Gabe nodded then walked out of his brothers room. He closed the door behind him then descended the stairs. He went into the kitchen and joined his mother and little sister for breakfast.

"He said he's going mom." the ten year old said, grabbing a hand full of bacon off of a silver platter, then placed it onto his. Amy gave Charlie her sippy cup and sat next to her, sighing of relief.

"Good, now all we have to do is wait for your aunt Helen and make sure your sister is going too." The appointment was scheduled for 10am and Helen made it clear that they couldn't be late. It was now 8:45.

Gabe waited for his waffles that were currently being cooked in the toaster. Charlie stole one of his bacon strips which caused them to argue.

"Charlie, knock it off. Don't steal your brothers food." Amy scolded as the toddler pouted. The waffles were done and as soon as Gabe retrieved them, he decided to speak. Charlie got up and ran off, as if she knew what they were about to discuss was private and sat in the living room to play with her toys.

"Mom?"

"Yes sweetie?"

"Why did dad hit you?"

Amy nervously sipped her coffee then searched for an answer. She knew she promised her son that she'd answer any question he had, so there was no escaping this. She placed the mint green mug in front of her and found herself at a loss for words.

"Well, um... it's complicated."

"How?"

The blonde sighed.

"He didn't always hit me. When I had P.J, everything was fine-" Amy stopped mid-sentence, trying hard to suppress her emotions. She continued.

"It was when his father passed away that he started to drink... he, uh, he began to hit me then."

Gabe sadly looked at his mother, knowing it must of been hard for her. Mild anger rose within him as well. He couldn't imagine someone laying a hand on his mother, it bothered him beyond words.

"Did he hit you everyday?"

"Not everyday... " she trailed off, finding it difficult to talk about. Gabe asked another question.

"How come I never saw him hit you?"

Amy gulped.

"I told him that P.J and Teddy were already traumatized by it... that we... we didn't need another child of ours to be traumatized too. Your Aunt Helen volunteered to take you most nights. You were also too young to remember some of the incidents you did witness anyway."

"What about P.J and Teddy?" Gabe asked innocently, no longer interested in his food.

"Bob... he wouldn't... he wouldn't let them leave. He'd... lock them into our closet... uh, my closet." Amy corrected, reminding herself that he was dead and they would never have to go through that again.

Amy wanted to tell him it was because Bob found out about her secret... one she denied till this day and spoke about with no one. Part of her wanted to tell her son the truth. She couldn't. She simply couldn't. She couldn't even tell it to herself. Amy had pushed that horrid memory far, far away. She convinced herself that it was a bad dream and nothing more.

It never happened. It was only a nightmare.

She smiled at Gabe then said, "Finish up your breakfast sweetie. Your aunt will be here soon." To escape further questioning, she got up and left the kitchen.

* * *

Helen used her own copy of the keys to the house and opened the door. She found her youngest niece and nephew sitting quietly on the couch. Gabe was playing a game on his iPad and Charlie was fixing her dolls hair. She smiled at the sight then made her presence known.

"Hey munchkins, watcha' up too?" she said, catching their attention.

"I'm not a munchkin." Gabe said smugly. Helen chuckled.

"Of course not, _munchkin_. Hey Char, where's mommy?"

The little girl pointed to the stairs, indicating that Amy was in her room. Helen thanked her niece for the very straightfoward information and began to walk up the stairs.

Seconds later, she found her sister sitting on the floor against a wall, staring blankly ahead. She could tell she had been crying, which made Helen sigh.

"Ames?" she said, searching for some kind of reaction.

Nothing.

"Amy? Baby sis? C'mon, talk to me." Helen urged as she bent down and sat next to her. Amy closed her eyes, wishing she had no tears left to cry. But, there they were, silently strolling down her bright red cheeks.

"I'm so fucked up, Helen" the blonde said.

"What? No you're not Ames. How could you even say that?"

"Because it's true." Amy assured as her sobs became louder.

"No, it's not true. Bob was the fucked up one and-"

"My own son asked me why my husband hit me today. Gabe asked me why he hit me and I... I couldn't... I just... I didn't want him to know."

Helen contemplated her thoughts before speaking and turned her head to look directly at her sister.

"He was going to find out eventually, Ames. For christs sakes, the kid had nightmares of the boogeyman! He said that the boogeyman was only after _you_. He remembers some of the nights. The nights I couldn't take him home with me and he had to live through it-"

"If only he knew that the boogeyman in his dreams is Bob." Amy interrupted, wiping her tears away vigorously.

"That's what the therapy is for. To help him stop having those nightmares and get a better understanding of them as well. He'll be fine." Helen promised. Amy looked at her and began to cry again. This time, her breathing hitched and she choked while sobbing. Helen didn't know what was happening but she instinctively reached out to hug her sister anyway.

"Amy, calm down. What's wrong?"

"I... I can't... No." Amy replied, trying hard to push that memory she had sworn was far, far away, back to where it belonged. This was too much. This was all too much for her. If she went to therapy, that meant she had to become vulnerable. That meant she had to talk about every unfathomable thing Bob did to her. What his friend did to her...

_'No. Stop it Amy. Don't think about it, push it away. Keep it far, far away' _she mentally told herself, trying desperately to get a hold of reality again.

"Amy, I'm right here. Just breath." Helen soothingly said, rubbing small circles on her younger sisters back.

"Bob was convinced that I cheated on him. He believed I cheated on him with countless men."

Helen knew Amy wasn't here with her. She was stuck somewhere in the dark corners of her mind, struggling to crawl out. She stood silent and continued to listen and hold her.

"He told P.J and Teddy that. I heard him say it once. That bastard. My kids **hate** me because of him. If only they knew, If only he knew..." the blonde trailed off as Helen silenced her.

"Shh, I know Amy. I know."

She did know. She already knew what her sister never had the courage to say. Again, thanks to the journal she used to write in, but "lost" at Helen's house one afternoon.

The room became quiet and Amy finally calmed down. She departed from her sisters grasp and took a moment to breath. She didn't understand her mental breakdowns, but they happened from time to time. Just like Gabe's nightmares, P.J's anxiety attacks and Teddy's outbursts.

Helen thought Hopefully, therapy could change that.

* * *

"Hello, I'm Helen Blankenhooper and this is my sister, Amy Duncan. Her kids are sitting right over there, we're here for a scheduled appointment with Dr. Paul Anderson."

Amy froze. Paul Anderson? P.J's Guitar lessons teacher? She frowned.

"Oh no." she whispered, but loud enough for her sister to hear.

"Very well then, Dr. Anderson will be right with you." the woman said, smiling afterwards. Helen smiled back then pulled her sister to a corner, far enough from the kids.

"What's wrong?"

"Paul Anderson is one of P.J's teachers. He gives guitar lessons at the recreational center on Saturdays." Amy informed her, the panic setting in. Helen couldn't believe this and searched for an explanation.

"Maybe it's a different Paul Anderson."

Amy doubted it, but hoped it was true. Just then, a tall man with brown hair, brown eyes and rectangle-shaped glasses entered the room. P.J's heart stopped at the sight of him. He stared at his teacher as he greeted the family and swallowed the lump that formed in his throat.

"Hello, Ms Duncan. We've talked before." Paul said, lending out his hand for her to shake. She refused to shake it and demanded an explanation.

"You didn't tell me you were a therapist." she snapped, afraid of how P.J might react. Within seconds, the teenager ran out and exited the building. Amy and Helen made a move to go after him but Paul stopped them. Teddy, Gabe and Charlie were confused as to what was going on but remained in their chairs silently. Amy put a hand on her head and let out a frustrated sigh.

"I'll go get him. Stay here." he instructed before running after his student.

* * *

_**A/N: Was it good? Too long? Not enough? Please don't forget to review guys. I really love your opinions and would appreciate them. As always, thanks for reading!**_


	7. The Duncans Go To Therapy Part Two

_**Authors' Note: Hey guys! Not much to say about this chapter, except I REALLY hope you like it. Enjoy!**_

**Story Title: Far From Gone**

**Written By: ButterflyCryx**

* * *

**Chapter Seven: The Duncans Go To Therapy - Part Two**

P.J ran as fast as he could, his heart beating rapidly against his chest. His breathing began to hitch and he had no choice but to stop. Mr. Anderson wasn't too far behind and eventually caught up to him. He patiently waited for the teenager to regulate the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide going in and out of his body then took small steps towards him. That's when P.J backed away and spoke.

"So when were you going to tell me? Mr. Anderson, or shall I say _Dr. Anderson_." P.J emphasized, shooting him a cold look. They were four blocks down from the office, just outside an alleyway. Paul gave the boy a sincere look but all he got back was an angry one. He sighed and tried to muster up some kind of excuse. Truth was, he had none.

"Look, I know you're upset and you have every right to-"

"Do you have any idea of what I've been through? Of what my mom's been through?"

The doctor added a quick 'no' but didn't break his eye contact with the boy. P.J spoke again.

"I thought you were just a guitar teacher. You never told me or any of your classmates that you were a therapist. Were you planning this behind my back or something?" P.J asked in disbelief.

It was now Paul's turn to speak.

"P.J, I'm sorry. I know it was wrong of me for not telling you... To be honest, I wasn't planning on this, any of it, but I did pick up on some signs that led me to believe things weren't right at home for you. Your aunt was the one that called our office and set up the appointment-"

"But she told you our names. You've spoken to my mother before. Yet you still made that appointment. Why? Why do that to me?"

The teenage boy was obviously hurt. Paul looked into his eyes and immediately sensed that he was protecting something. Whether it was his heart or himself in general, his defenses were definitely up. He searched for gentle and soothing words to say as the teenager began to pace.

"It's my job, P.J. I vowed to never turn down a patient the day I became a therapist. I wasn't going to turn you or your family down because of our student-to-teacher relationship. I know you're upset and it's okay to be. You can be upset with me, that's fine. But don't be upset at your aunt. She didn't know."

This was all too much for the eighteen year old. He couldn't do this, he just couldn't. He had kept every single scream, hit and traumatizing experience he had faced to himself and never intended on telling it to anyone. That was the vow _he_ made and he wasn't planning on breaking it either. He shook his head then began to walk away, Paul following close behind.

"Just give me a chance. Please P.J, I want to help you-"

"I don't need help!" He spat furiously, making a few bystanders stop and stare at the scene unraveling before them.

"You can sit in your pretty little office chair and talk to my family all you want, but you sure as hell won't be talking to me." he made clear, giving the doctor and teacher one last look before turning to walk away again. Paul sighed then followed.

Returning back to the office, P.J sat in the chair he was in before running off, then avoided his families gazes.

"P.J, honey, are you-"

"I'm fine, mom. Just... please." He begged, not wanting to yell at her. His voice was calm despite the anger rising within him. Amy nodded at him then immediately backed off, waiting for Dr. Anderson's return. She was honestly furious with him, no longer wanting to have this meeting. Teddy sat there quietly, avoiding eye contact with the professional man who noticed the minute he spotted her. Paul looked at the distraught family before him then took in a deep breath. He clasped his hands together then broke the awkward silence.

"Alright, let's get started."

* * *

Helen had volunteered to take Charlie to a nearby park and said her goodbyes to the family. She whispered a quick "Good luck" to her sister who remained unresponsive. She sighed then ruffled Gabe's hair before walking out with her niece. Dr. Anderson looked at his clipboard and thought of who to speak to first. He eyed the small boy who nervously looked down at his hands.

"Gabe, you're first. Is that okay with you Amy?" the man asked, turning so he could look at the blonde. She said nothing but gave him a nod of approval.

Feeling like a deer caught in headlights, the dark-haired boys eyes widened. He quickly recovered then slowly nodded. No one else said a word. P.J was sitting by himself near a window, Teddy was sitting in a chair a bit further away with her hands folded across her chest and Amy was standing by the door, her demeanor unwelcoming. Gabe got up and followed Paul to a room.

As they entered, Gabe instantly took in his surroundings. He could tell that this is where the smaller kids went when Paul needed to talk to them. He grimaced at the coloring books and boxes of crayons that were neatly placed on the round table. He spotted the stuffed animals and toy cars on the floor and felt like he was going to vomit. How old did this man think he was? Five? Paul noticed Gabe's facial expressions then laughed out loud.

"Don't worry, were not going to use any of this stuff. I know you're _way_ too old for it anyway." Paul teased, offering the seat across from him. Gabe looked at it momentarily before finally sitting down. He was now looking at the therapist before him.

"I'm not _that_ old." he finally commented. Paul smiled.

"I didn't say you were."

Gabe switched his gaze to the floor and began to dangle his feet.

"So, you're ten right?"

"Yes."

"And you live with your mother Amy and siblings, uh- what are their names?"

"P.J, Teddy and Charlie. I was the third kid to be born." Gabe answered honestly. Paul nodded his head and jotted somethings onto his clipboard. Gabe watched the pen move swiftly across the paper. The therapist fixed his glasses before asking another question.

"How would you describe your home life?"

"How would you describe_ your_ home?" Gabe retorted. _'Clever kid' _Paul thought as he gave the young boy a small smile.

"A bit rough, to be honest. Thanks for asking. Wanna tell me about yours now?"

Gabe twiddled his thumbs then sighed before answering.

"Good, I guess."

"Not very convincing."

The ten year old rolled his eyes then leaned against the table.

"Can I go now? My mom is out there and-"

"You're close to your mom, aren't you?" Paul dared to ask. Gabe's eyes flickered a bit as he looked directly at Paul. There it was. The therapist could tell by Gabe's reaction that he was very protective of Amy.

"Yes, I am. She's all I've got." he responded, his tone lowering.

"What about your siblings? They live with you too, correct?"

Gabe cleared his throat before speaking.

"Yes, they do... but... I, uh... I'm just always with mom."

"What about your dad?"

Gabe lowered his head again. He didn't feel like talking anymore. He just wanted his mommy.

"He's... he's... dead." he finally answered as his eyes got moist. Gabe couldn't believe the man that he had called his father, the man who attended every one of his soccer games when he was six (that's what each of the pictures in the family album told him), had the audacity to abuse his mother. Amy meant everything to him, he had such a strong connection with her... the thought of Bob hitting her repeatedly had crept into his mind again and Gabe felt like he was going to lose it.

"I'm sorry, Gabe. I know it must be hard-"

"No! I'm glad he's dead!" he blurted out, anger rising within him. Realizing what he just said, Gabe immediately shut up and bolted towards the door. Paul stood up to stop him.

"Wait, Gabe, don't go. We don't have to talk about him if you don't want too. In fact, we can make a list about the things you prefer to not speak about. Then, when you feel like the times right, we can cross whatever it is off of the list, together, and finally discuss it. Sound good?"

The offer sounded promising to the ten year old. Gabe had stopped at the door with his back facing the therapist as he listened to his words. He slowly turned then nodded.

"Okay." he answered as he wiped at the tears that dared to be released from his face.

"Okay."

* * *

Teddy, to her dismay, was up next. She watched as the therapist kindly walked Gabe back into the waiting area. They were the only family there at the moment, which the sixteen year old found a bit strange. Not taking her eyes off of the man who was now speaking to her mother, she began to wonder about him. What was his life like? Was he married? Did he have kids? Was he as kind and patient as he presented himself to be... or was he angry and aggressive behind closed doors? Teddy huffed at the realization that her father, while he was still alive, was both. He was kind and patient outside of their home, but angry and aggressive once he had a bottle of Jack Daniels in his hand. Too lost in her thoughts, she failed to notice Paul approaching her. He began to call for her attention.

"Teddy?" he said for the fifth time, observing her face closely. Teddy snapped out of it then sheepishly looked up.

"Sorry, I-"

"It's fine. Come on back with me and we'll begin." he replied sweetly, waiting for her to stand and follow him. She eventually did and now found herself in his office. Teddy scanned the walls filled with awards of recognition and some even for his guitar playing. She then remembered that he was P.J's guitar lessons teacher. That explained why he was so pissed off earlier. Paul sat in his chair and waited for her to join him in the seat across.

"You should of told my brother, you know. He's not gonna forgive you for weeks." Teddy said, looking at the pictures Paul put up on his walls along with the awards. He folded his hands on his desk then spoke.

"I would have, except I didn't get a chance to speak to him." he said, eyeing her. Teddy stopped and look at him.

"Oh." she shrugged then continued to snoop.

"Why don't you take a seat so we could talk?" he offered, kind as always. Teddy was hesitant but sat down anyway. She swallowed the lump that formed in her throat then folded her hands on her lap.

"So, how are you today?"

"I'm fine." Teddy said nonchalantly. Paul just looked at her.

"What?"

"You expect me to believe that, Teddy?" he asked, his tone gentle. Teddy rolled her eyes then sat back.

"No, but it was worth a shot." she said smugly. He laughed.

"You must be quite the character."

"Meaning...?"

He smiled then changed the subject with another question.

"How do you feel about writing?"

Teddy's face lit up and she gave him a geniune smile.

"I love to write, actually. Its a hobby of mine."

"That's great, would you like to keep a journal? You can write in it every day and I'll be able to read it at the end of every week. But, if there's specific pages you don't want me to read, I won't." he promised, studying her. Teddy took a moment to think then tucked a strand of her dark blonde hair behind her ear. She bit her lip while thinking then finally came up with a decision.

"Sure, I guess." she agreed. Pauk smiled then gestured to the closet in back of her.

"There's a stack of books back there and color pens. Pick whatever you want."

Teddy froze once she realized where he was gesturing too and found herself stuck. She looked back at him with glossy eyes.

"Um, I'd rather not. I can get my own." she said politely, hoping he wouldn't push the situation. He unfortunately did.

"Don't be ridiculous, its free and-"

"Please, just forget it. I'm not poor, I can get my own." she interrupted. Paul didn't want too, but he knew he had to question her once more.

"Okay... is there something wrong?" he questioned. Teddy blinked back her tears then felt a sudden wave of anger come over her.

"Stop! Okay?! JUST STOP! I know she told you!" Teddy yelled, no longer sitting. Confused, Paul looked at her, a bit stunned. He watched as she began to pace.

"Teddy, I'm sorry I upset you, but I don't know what you're talking about."

This made her even more angry.

"Just cut the crap, okay! I know my aunt told you! That's why I'm here, isn't?! Because I'm fucked up and I have problems!" Teddy said, tears streaming down her rosy red cheeks. She tried to suppress her breathing but seemed to fail. She was practically hyperventilating now and Paul had no choice but to aid her.

"Teddy, please, just-"

"Don't touch me!" she yelled, backing away. Paul stood there and thought of what to do.

"You have to calm down, you're having a panic attack. If your heartbeat accelerates any further, you can faint." he quickly informed her, watching her struggle to breath as she choked on her sobs.

"You tried to make me go into that closest! No one can make me go in there, no one!"

Paul analyzed her words carefully then realized what the issue was. Teddy was afraid of closests. It wasn't one of those phobia's either, but he knew she could overcome it if she tried. She was scared of them because someone, unidentified to Paul, had probably locked her in one. They probably left her there for countless hours, ignoring her pleas and screams to be released. He gave her a sympathetic look as she still struggled to catch her breath. She was now against his closed door, gripping onto the knob. She held her chest and squeezed her eyes shut. Paul inched towards her then offered his hand.

"Teddy, take my ha-"

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" she screamed, her voice screeching towards the end. The therapist put his hands up in defeat and watched as she sat on the floor, hugging her knees close to her chest.

* * *

After several minutes of comforting words, Teddy had calmed down and asked to leave. Before letting her go, Paul got a book and blue pen out of his two-door closet. He handed it to her and said,

"Please, write in it. I'm hoping to see you Monday."

Teddy snatched it out of his hands then walked away. He sighed then followed her.

"P.J?"

"I'm not going." he immediately said. The anger was evident on his face. Not wanting to force him, Paul let it slide.

"Fine, but hopefully next Monday we can talk?"

"I have school."

"Your appointment is scheduled for 5pm. I did that so all of you would be able to attend. I also wrote letters to your teachers so they could excuse you for today."

P.J looked away, not saying a word. Paul nodded then approached Amy.

"Shall we?"

The tiny blonde took a deep breath then followed him inside.

She didn't know what to expect as a mixture of fear and nerves churned in her empty stomach.

* * *

_**A/N: Amy's up next. Thoughts? Opinions? Review, pretty please?**_


	8. Aftershock

**_Authors' Note: I didn't intend for this chapter to end the way it did, but... my fingers kinda' typed it on its own. If I upset anyone, I'm truly sorry. But, keep in mind that everything that happens in this story, since the very beginning, has happened for a reason. As this story progresses, you'll realize why. Anyways, I encourage you to read on! I hope you enjoy!_**

**Story Title: Far From Gone**

**Written By: ButterflyCryx**

* * *

**Chapter Eight: Aftershock**

_"So, would you like to begin now?"_

The question was left to spiral in the air before them. As it swirled its way into Amy Duncan's mind, the blonde closed her eyes. Paul had asked that question about ten minutes ago. Unable to answer, she just sat there. She felt paralyzed. Frozen. Every time she tried to give the handsome man an answer, nothing happened. So she continued to sit there and kept her eyes shut.

"What are you thinking about Amy?"

No answer. Paul, concerned with her behavior, studied her face. He could tell she was trying hard to maintain her emotions. She was probably scared to let them go, despite the desperate need in her heart to do so. He decided to wait in patience, knowing that if he pushed her it would do no good.

After a few more seconds, her eyes opened and she spoke.

"I met my husband when I was thirteen," she began, avoiding eye contact by staring at the wall behind him. He listened intently as she continued.

"We were in 8th grade. He always brought me these cute little cards with pretty designs on them. He'd write me a whole novel about how beautiful I was," she stopped and huffed, a smile spreading across her clear face. Paul couldn't help but smile as well, finding it contagious.

"I'd show my mother and she'd tell me that she didn't like him. That there was something off about him. I was so sure that she was wrong. I bet she's laughing at me in her grave right now." Amy's eyes got glossy but she made no attempts to stop the tears from flowing. She then, to her surprise and his, looked at Paul.

"I was so wrong."

"Our judgments towards people aren't always correct, Amy. Especially if the person we're judging is manipulative."

She eyed him carefully before speaking.

"My husband was a good man- at heart. Before I had any of the kids he'd take me out, we'd laugh and share beautiful moments together. They say that when you have a baby, everything changes but... I... I didn't know things would change... that way."

Paul wanted nothing more than to find out who this man was and what he did that was so horrible to this family. Staring into her gorgeous green eyes, he spoke.

"In what way?"

Damn it. He lost her. She quickly looked away then shook her head.

"I have four beautiful children, Paul. I told you this on the phone. Four kids whom I love dearly. I'd do anything for any of them. But... how can I if they refuse my help?" she questioned, waiting for an answer.

"By not being afraid." he simply stated.

"That's my problem... I... I am afraid. I'm very afraid." Tears streamed from her eyes and landed onto her blue blouse.

"What about Gabe? Charlie? They seem close to you-"

"They are. It's..." Amy stopped herself then wiped at her tears.

"P.J and Teddy." he finished for her. Amy narrowed her eyes at him.

"You can't tell them, they can't know I'm hurt by it."

"I won't... you have to do something for me, though. Is that okay?" Paul asked. Amy had a confused look so he explained further.

"I don't know what happened to any of you... I'd put the pieces to your puzzle together but... I honestly don't have enough pieces. On Monday, I want you to pick a person in your life. It can be a close friend, a family member, someone you work with. Anyone you feel comfortable talking to you. I want you to speak to that person and tell them one bad memory in your life. Doesn't have to be too personal, unless you want it to be. Can you do that, Amy?"

Amy took a moment to let his words sink into her brain and thought about it. Why did she have to do this? Was it even relevant?

"I... I guess. I mean... I don't know if-"

"Does anyone know what happened in your past besides your sister?"

Amy looked down and nodded a no.

"Bits and pieces... but not everything." she admitted.

Paul sighed.

"My goal for you, is to help you open up more. It's to help you get rid of that fear and get you to talk about whatever it is you went through. It's not good to keep it bottled up Amy, it just damages you even more in the end."

Amy shook her head at this. He had no idea. No idea whatsever. What she went through was _hell_ itself and she knew it.

"You don't understand... you, you... you wouldn't understand." she broke out into silent tears as Paul felt a sudden pang in his heart. He would've guessed years of domestic violence, verbal abuse and maybe forced sexual acts but...

He, himself, didnt want to believe it. He felt something towards Amy, something he couldn't quite put his finger on. He stood up from his chair and knelt before her, placing a single hand on her shoulder. The blonde stood silent and stared at him.

"You're right, I probably won't, but... if you let me in, Amy. If you give me a chance to try, maybe, just maybe, I can."

"I don't know if I can do that." she said, her tone of voice low. Paul rubbed her shoulder momentarily before standing. She looked up at him as he did so.

"I know you can, Amy. With time and patience, you can." he assured, giving her a smile. Amy couldn't deny it; his smile was handsome. Paul returned to his seat and Amy gave him a small smile.

"Um... I guess I better get going. Are we done here?"

"Your first session is officially over. That wasn't so bad, huh?"

She chuckled then stood up, heading towards the door.

"No, it wasn't." she admitted, giving him a warm smile before completely exiting the room. Walking down the hallway, Amy heard a pair of footsteps behind her and quickly turned to find Paul catching up to her. He held out his business card that contained his office hours.

"Just in case you need an escape. My office number is there too. You can also call my personal, which I know you have already. If you need anything, anything at all... I'm here."

Amy accepted the card then mumbled a quick "thank you". She stared at the small rectangle-shaped paper and sighed.

By the time she looked back up, Paul was already gone.

* * *

As Amy returned to the waiting area, she took notice of the other patients whom had just arrived. Teddy and P.J gave up their seats for a woman and her son while Gabe gave up his seat for a pregnant brunette. Amy could tell she was about eighteen years old. She gave her sad eyes as she noticed the bruises on her face and busted lip. Her hands were shaking and she stared at her feet the whole time. Amy wanted to confront her, she wanted to tell her that she was going to be okay, but how could she do that when she wasn't okay herself? She shook the thought away and approached her kids.

"Are you all okay?" she questioned, hoping her two oldest wouldn't yell at her for asking.

"Yeah." Teddy mumbled, suddenly interested in the tile patterns on the floor. There was something different about the sixteen year old. Something was off and the mother immediately picked up on it. She nodded at Teddy, although the teenager wasn't looking at her, then turned to P.J.

"Are you okay?"

P.J looked up at her as he played with the edges of his shirt.

"Whatever." he replied, standing up so he could walk to the car. Amy hoped for something better but she was grateful he at least said something.

"Gabe honey, are you okay?"

"I guess... can we go home mom?" he asked, clinging to her side. She planted a sweet kiss to his forehead then rubbed the side of his left arm.

"Of course, let's go get your aunt and little sister" was the last thing she said before walking out of the office.

* * *

"So how did it go?" Helen asked as the family finally arrived at the house. Amy watched as P.J and Teddy disappeared into their rooms and Charlie walked up the stairs to go play in her room. Gabe, of course, stayed with Amy.

"Not now Helen." Amy responded as she looked at her son.

"Gabe, you can go play in your room if you want. Maybe you can play video games with your brother." she suggested. Gabe frowned.

"My room is your room. There's nothing there to play with."

Amy sighed. Although P.J and Gabe were supposed to share a room together, the little boy preferred sleeping in his mothers room instead. The extra bed in P.J's room was often used as his personal laundry basket. Helen stood quiet and let Amy speak to her son.

"Why don't you at least ask him? See what he says?" she tried once more, giving him a smile. Gabe shrugged his shoulders then willed himself to go upstairs, leaving the two woman to talk.

"That kid is attached." Helen pointed out, following Amy to the kitchen. The blonde took off her jack and threw it onto the table.

"I know." she replied, digging into her cabinet for a mug. After the morning she had, caffeine was definitely a desperate need. Helen quickly told her that she wanted some coffee as well, then proceeded to her previous question.

"So, are you going to tell me how it went or..."

"It was okay, I guess. I mean, I don't really have words for it."

Helen watched her sister move around the kitchen in ease, not letting the topic go.

"Well, what did you and Dr. Anderson talk about?"

Amy gave her sister a look and got back an apologetic one.

"Okay, geez, sorry for asking." Helen said. Amy shook her head then waited for the coffee to be done. Just then, Gabe rushed in. While the young boy tried to control his rapid breathing, Amy and Helen both approached him in concern.

"What's wrong baby? Are you okay?" Amy immediately asked, kneeling down so she was at eye level with him. Gabe was honestly in shock but he managed to tell his mother what just took place in the basement seconds before.

"It's Teddy, sh-she... w-we were in the b-basement, me and P.J went to play and... sh-she was... she's on the floor... w-we found a bottle of p-pills." was all Gabe could say. In fact, it was the only thing he could say before his mother, along with his aunt, rushed past him and raced down the stairs.

_**TO BE CONTINUED...**_


	9. I Couldn't Save Her

_**Author's Note: Hello my faithful readers! Thanks so much for your reviews on the last chapter, I'm happy with your responses. Thank you for giving me a reason to write. I hope you're all doing well! Here's the ninth installment, read and enjoy!**_

**Story Title: Far From Gone**

**Written By: ButterflyCryx**

* * *

**Chapter Nine: "I Couldn't Save Her"**

Amy and Helen rushed down the basement stairs and into Teddy's room. They stopped at the entrance, suddenly unable to move. Both their mouths were slightly parted as the rush of panic settled in. Helen put a single hand to her chest as her sister slowly started to approach her unconscious daughter. The blonde felt like her heart was being squeezed and the ounce of life that she had left was now gone. Her daughter was lying on the floor, one hand in P.J's who was crying softly to her and the other one loosely holding the bottle of pills she forced herself to swallow. Amy quickly bent down to check her pulse and felt a slow but steady one.

"Oh thank god, Helen, call 911!" The surprisingly calm mother ordered as her sister obliged and dialed the number on her cell. Amy, who went to college to become a nurse, knew all about the profession. She learned all of the precautions to take during an emergency and luckily remembered them for this very moment. Amy grabbed her daughter and gently laid her on her lap. P.J's eyes were red and puffy and the mother could tell he was afraid. As Helen spoke to the operator on the phone, Gabe ran up the stairs to stay with Charlie. Everything seemed to be happening so fast and the blonde could barely keep up.

"Mom, is she going to be okay?" P.J asked, hoping for a positive answer. Amy wanted to hold her baby boy in her arms and promise him that everything was going to be alright, but she knew her baby girl needed her the most.

"She will be, okay? We just need to be there for her." She assured the eighteen year old. He simply nodded in return.

"They're on their way. They said to keep her-"

"Head elevated to avoid seizures, I know." Amy quickly replied. She looked down at her daughter and caressed her face gently.

"Everything's going to be okay baby, I promise. Just hang on for mommy."

Helen watched with tear-filled eyes as her sister spoke to her niece. The undying love Amy had for Teddy did something to her heart. Something she was unable to describe. Within seconds, the EMT's were at Amy's front door and Gabe rushed to open it. He directed them to where the rest of his family was while successfully keeping an oblivious Charlie in the kitchen, eating a snack.

Two EMT's, named Steven and Josie, rushed to the sixteen year old and placed her on a stretcher immediately. Josie checked her pulse and noted that it was weakening while Steven placed a breathing mask on her face. Amy helped Josie insert a needle that was connected to a tube into her daughters wrist. The tube was connected to a bag of fluids that would be pumped into Teddy's body. She let them wheel her out and followed close behind as they carried her up the basement stairs.

"Hey Violet, prepare a room for Teddy Duncan please. Looks like we've got an overdose. Her vitals are down but were taking care of it. Thanks, be there in five." Josie said into her walkie-talkie as she pushed the stretcher into the ambulance truck. Amy gave Helen a look and the woman immediately caught on.

"I'll drive there. You go ahead, she needs you."

Amy gave her a grateful smile then got into the ambulance that Helen sadly watched drive away.

"Please tell me she's going to live." P.J said in a panicked tone as Helen embraced him and kissed his forehead.

"She is kiddo, I promise you."

* * *

"You sure know a lot about Medical assistance. Are you a doctor?" Josie asked as they raced to the hospital. Amy held onto Teddy's hand.

"I studied to be one." She admitted, not taking her eyes off of Teddy as if she would suddenly disappear.

"What happened?"

"I... I never got the chance. With four kids, I didn't have the time." Amy partially lied. The _real_ reason behind it was none other then her deceased husband.

The woman nodded in understanding and checked the heartbeat monitor.

"She's doing great, we just need to pump her stomach before the drugs effect her badly and she'll soon be on her way to recovery." The woman compromised as Amy gently squeezed her daughters hand.

"You hear that sunshine? You're going to be okay." She whispered as Josie gave Steven a brief look. As they got to the hospital, Amy was told to stay in the waiting area and fill out a couple of forms for Teddy. She reluctantly obliged and sat in one of the chairs. She wasn't paying attention to the clipboard that contained numerous papers in front of her; she was too busy thinking about her daughter.

_'An overdose? Why would she do that? Was she trying to kill herself?'_

As she pondered about the languishing thought, Helen and P.J rushed through the doors and approached the mother.

"Where is she? Is she okay?" Helen asked in an instance as Amy realized her two youngest kids were missing.

"Where's Gabe and Charlie?" She asked, avoiding her sisters previous questions.

"I left them with Mrs. Wentz and Ivy. They begged to come but this environment is too much for them."

"Yeah, I know. At least their safe." Amy quickly said as she put a single hand over her head. Helen noticed that despite the situation, her sister didn't cry. Not when she first found Teddy, not when they loaded her into the ambulance.

Not once did a tear fall from her eyes. The brunette didn't know if she should be concerned or relieved.

"Was she trying to commit suicide?" P.J asked in a low tone, looking down at the white-tiled floor. No one said a word. If a pin were to drop, you'd be able to hear it. Amy masked her face with her hands and tried to grab a hold of reality. The realization of the situation hit her and she suddenly felt numb... and dizzy.

Very dizzy.

"Amy? Ames, are you okay?" Helen asked as the blonde tried to stand.

"I'm just fine..." she trailed off once she felt the weight of the world give up on her. She fainted but was luckily caught by her sister. P.J helped steady a weary Amy as Helen called out for some help.

"C'mon squish, don't do this to us. We need you to be okay." Helen said, calling her sister by her childhood nickname. A male doctor rushed to the scene and got a wheelchair for the blonde.

P.J, as overwhelmed as he was, managed to wheel his mother away as Helen waited for any news on his sister.

Today was clearly not a good day for the Duncan family.

* * *

It had been eight hours since the incident. The digital clock that rested on the wooden table read 11:45 pm. As the drugs wore off, Amy's eyes fluttered open. She felt so relaxed that she didn't want to move. Once she realized where she was and why she was there, she frantically sat up and tried to get out of bed. Paul, who was standing by the door for the past twenty minutes, quickly approached her and made her stop.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." he commented, giving her a firm look. Still a bit dazed, Amy gave him a funny look.

"Who are you to tell _me_ what to do? I need to get to my daughter." she snapped, still trying to stand. Paul held her hands, which sent her a soothing vibe, then looked into her emerald green eyes again. This time, Amy paused and stared back.

"I'm your therapist now, Amy. I advise you to stay in bed and wait for the doctors to come and check up on you."

"Did Helen call you? How long have you been here?" she asked.

"Yes, she did. Only because it's relevant for me to be here. When a patient has a traumatic experience, it's my duty to guide them through it."

Amy huffed but settled back into her hospital bed.

"I don't need guidance-"

"Teddy is my main concern, but I thought I should check-up on you as well. You fainted earlier, do you remember that?"

As Amy searched her empty head, Paul smiled at her appealing facial expressions.

"It's okay if you don't, it's the drugs. They sedated you so you could rest, your body was too exhausted. Were you panicking when you found your daughter?" he questioned, taking a seat beside her. Amy's mind got back to Teddy and she felt the sudden urge to just run out. She looked at Paul and felt the urge slowly fade. She cleared her throat then answered his question.

"No... I was... calm. On the outside, I guess." Paul nodded in agreement.

"Situations like your own are common. You appear to be fine but your insides are battling for stimulation and control." he quickly informed her.

"You didn't answer my second question. How long have you been here?"

"For five hours." he said. Amy's eyes widened as she checked the time. Realizing that she had been asleep for most of the day, she mentally cursed at herself and attempted to get up again.

"Amy, please calm down. It won't help if you leave and demand to see her. They'll never let you in this condition."

"My daughter, is she okay? Is my baby girl okay?"

"She's just fine Ms. Duncan, we pumped her stomach earlier today. We gave her something to help her get some rest. She won't be awake for another hour." a female doctor said, walking into the room. She was tall but very petite and had short black hair. She smiled at them then checked Amy's vitals.

"You're going to be okay Amy, Your heartbeat has slowed since your incident and you look great. Are you tired, hungry? Is there anything you need?"

"My son and sister, are they still here? Can I see them?"

"They left to go wash up at your home. They'll be back soon. Anything else?"

Amy sunk into her bed and wished that it would swallow her whole. She wanted her family, she didn't want anything else. She quietly nodded a 'no' then looked down at the white sheets that covered her and her hideous hospital gown.

"Well, just push that red button on the side of your bed if you do need anything. Feel better." the doctor said, later known as Dr. Violet Vitalli. She smiled at them one last time before heading out.

"I want to see my daughter." Amy said, twiddling her thumbs.

"You will as soon as she wakes up. In the meantime, do you care for a chat?"

Amy smiled at Paul's cheesy gesture, then accepted his offer.

"Great. So, how are you feeling?"

Amy frowned at his question then sighed.

"How are _you_ feeling?" she retorted. Paul couldn't hold back his chuckle as the mother reminded him of her son.

"Just fine, thank you. Better since I now know you and Teddy will be okay, physically."

"You were that worried?" she questioned. He nodded.

"Very much."

Amy thought for a moment then spoke.

"Why?"

"Because, you...uh... you both..."

Amy smirked then looked at him.

"For an extremely talkative therapist, you seem at a lost for words."

Paul nervously looked down and laughed.

"Only when I'm around you." Noticing the error in his response, his eyes widened and he faked a cough to cover it. Amy couldn't help but shyly smile and look away. She didn't know why, but something about this man made her feel comfortable.

Something about this man made her feel **safe**.

* * *

"Mom fainted?!" Gabe shouted, as a million thoughts raced into his mind. P.J bent down to calm his little brother as Mary Lou and Ivy, whom was holding Charlie, watched from aside.

"She's fine, they just called Aunt Helen to let her know that she's awake. We're going back to see her now."

Gabe raced past his brother and waited at the door.

"What are you waiting for? Let's go!" the young boy exclaimed. P.J took Charlie from Ivy's hands and mumbled a sincere 'thank you' before exiting the house.

Ivy watched as they walked away and turned to her mother with tears in her eyes. Mary Lou hugged her daughter and promised her that Teddy would be fine.

"What if she's not okay emotionally?" she feared, laying on her mothers shoulder. Mary Lou sighed then responded.

"Then we'll pray Ivy, we'll pray for Teddy and her family." she said. The young girl nodded then continued to cry.

She just wanted her best friend to depend on her. For once, she just wanted to be there and help her. Ever since they were in middle school, Teddy never spoke to Ivy about the problems that she was facing at home. She never told her any of her biggest and darkest secrets. Ivy always shared her own, but never had the opportunity to hear some of Teddy's. She knew the blonde for such a long time yet she felt like she was a complete stranger. When she found out that her best friend since seventh grade had tried to kill herself, she was honestly at a loss for words.

And right now, as she was standing in the living room and embracing her mother, she found herself at a loss for words once again.

* * *

After checking up on a sleeping Teddy, Gabe rushed down the hall and peaked into his mothers room. She was sitting on the bed, talking to Paul. He was confused as to why the older man was there but didn't complain once he saw the small smile on his mothers face. Helen, P.J and Charlie came behind him and waited for him to open the door. Gabe finally knocked and watched as the two adults turned their gazes to the door. Paul stood up with a smile and let them in. Amy's small smile turned into a big one as she reached out for youngest son and daughter.

"Momma!" the excited four year old exclaimed, climbing onto Amy's bed. Gabe walked to the other side and embraced his mother in relief.

"Hey kids! I'm so glad my two babies are here!" Amy said happily, now embracing them both. Helen smiled then shot Paul a thankful look. He simply smiled in return.

"We saw Teddy on our way here. She's sleeping and she looks peaceful." Helen informed her. P.J, who was less than happy to see Paul in the room, folded his arms across his chest and stared at his mother. Amy looked at him and noticed.

"Are you okay P.J?" she asked, her voice soft and welcoming.

"Yeah, are you?"

"Yeah, I am." she replied as everyone remained silent.

"Momma, why are you wearing this?" Charlie asked with a funny face as everyone laughed.

"The doctors put it on me. It's ugly, right?"

The toddler nodded in agreement which made everyone, even P.J, laugh some more.

"When are you and Teddy going to leave?" P.J asked, avoiding Paul's observant eyes.

"I can leave now, but Teddy..."

"Is on suicide watch. I need to evaluate her before she's allowed to go home." Paul explained. Amy grimaced at his use of words but couldn't deny the truth of his statement. P.J snapped.

"I'm sorry, was I talking to you? What are you doing here anyway? You're not family."

Helen quickly scolded the boy for his harsh speaking then gave Paul an apologetic look.

"No, P.J's right. The only reason why I'm here is to make sure Amy is okay then wait up for Teddy. I need to speak to her as soon as possible. I'll leave you all alone now. I'll be right outside if you need me." Paul politely said as he got up from his seat beside Amy and left the room. The blonde sadly watched him go but immediately shook the feeling off. Feeling guilty, P.J looked down at his shoes and wished he could take his current actions back.

If only life had a rewind button.

* * *

***Teddy's vivid flashback***

_"Mom? Where are you?!" eight year old Teddy called, searching her empty and now silent house. P.J was following close behind, calling for his mother as well. Their father was nowhere to be found and their Aunt Helen had stopped by earlier to take Gabe home for the night. The two siblings asked to go with them but their father refused. They were perplexed about the situation but knew better than to argue. A short while after, they got locked into Amy and Bob's closet again as he violently beat her. P.J took one of the closet hangers and picked the lock after the beating was over. Teddy remembered hearing him calling her a 'dirty bitch' and a 'useless slut'. He then dragged her out of the room by her hair and left. As Teddy looked for her mother, his horrible choice of words ran through her mind._

_"Let's check the basement." P.J suggested as the two of them raced down the stairs. Teddy's face fell as she spotted her mother on the ground. She looked lifeless and it scared her. They rushed to her and quickly bent down to aid her._

_"Mom? Mommy? Mom! Wake up!" Teddy begged, shaking the older woman slightly. P.J began to cry as he noticed the bruises on her face and the strangle marks on her neck. There was also fresh blood on her pink night gown. Teddy removed some of her mother's hair out of her face and didn't care that she got blood all over her hand. This was the first time that they ever saw Amy in such a way; they both mentally hoped that they would never have to see her like this again. Just then, a pair of heavy footsteps descended the stairs and both their heads shot up._

_"We have to hide." P.J whispered, grabbing his sister and guiding her into the back room. He slid the door open and revealed loads of boxes and junk that sat in there for years. He got in and pulled her along, sliding the door after them. He gestured for her to be quiet but it was no use. The young girl continued to sob and Bob immediately heard it. He swung the door open and spotted his two children with looks of fear on their faces._

_"Get out." he ordered as they quickly obliged. He told them to go back upstairs and to not return for the rest of the night._

***Present day, Teddy Duncan's hospital room, 1:45 am***

Teddy's head shot up from her pillow and she immediately scanned the room. Fresh tears began to form at the corners of her eyes and her heartbeat began to dangerously accelerate. The machine that monitored her heart began to beep loudly, causing her to wince at the sound. Dr. Vitalli and a male nurse rushed in and aided her, gently laying her back down. She was too weak to fight but did so anyway.

"It's okay sweetie, just relax. Do you need anything to help calm you down?" Dr. Vitalli asked, eyeing the young girl closely. Teddy, still heavily drugged, tried hard to focus on the woman's words. She didn't know where she was or why, but she did know what she needed.

"My mommy, please. I want my mommy." she muttered helplessly, staring off into space.

"Okay Teddy, we'll get your mommy. Just lay back and relax." the doctor ordered as the male nurse proceeded to check the machine and searched for the problem.

"Her heartbeat was steady until two minutes ago. Something must of triggered the sudden acceleration." he quickly informed her. Dr. Vitalli nodded then looked at Teddy before leaving.

"I couldn't save her... I... I was, I was too scared. I couldn't save her." Teddy whined. The doctor gave her a sympathetic look then spoke.

"I'll go get your mom, okay? Keep an eye on her and make sure she stays put." the woman ordered as the male nurse nodded.

Teddy, still dazed and confused, failed to understand anything at the moment. Her head was spinning and her only concern was her mother.

"Is she okay? Is my mommy okay? Did daddy hurt her again?" she questioned to no one in particular. The male nurse froze at her words and felt a pang in his heart. He, of course, had no idea what she was talking about but that didn't matter.

"She's fine, she'll be here in just a minute." he promised as Teddy nodded in relief then laid back down, falling into another deep slumber.

* * *

_**A/N: PLEASE REVIEW. I need your words of encouragement! BTW, the next chapter will consist of some Amy and Teddy time, so stay tuned to see how that turns out! Thanks for reading!**_


	10. Baby Steps

_**Authors' Note: Hello my awesome readers! I'm so happy that you guys are enjoying this little story so far. I sincerely hope you continue to give me your amazing words of encouragement. I appreciate and love you all. This chapter is just a fill-in, but there's LOTS more to come. Remember to read carefully, you never know what important information you're missing. Anyways, read and enjoy!**_

**Story Title: Far From Gone**

**Written By: ButterflyCryx**

* * *

**Chapter Ten: Baby Steps**

It was 7:30 am and the sun began to peak through the light blue curtains that hung in Amy's hospital room. The doctors convinced her to stay the night and she honestly didn't care. As long as she got to stay on the same floor as her daughter, she made no protests to leave. She stretched a bit then opened her eyes. Once she realized that she wasn't alone, she sat up and gave her visitor a small smile.

"Good morning Ms. Duncan, how are you feeling?" Dr. Vitalli asked, a clipboard in one hand and a plastic cup in the other.

"Relaxed. Is my daughter up?"

The woman gave her a look then handed her the cup that revealed two small pills. Amy swallowed them both then took a sip of water afterwards.

"Yes she is-"

"Can I see her?"

Dr. Vitalli remained unresponsive for a few seconds, then finally decided to answer.

"We had some... difficulties last night. Your daughter had several nightmares. Me and my medical team tried to calm her but, she lost control. We had to put her in restraints." Dr. Vitalli didn't want to mention any of the alarming things Teddy had said or done. It wasn't her business nor her life, so she decided to be respectful and stay shut.

Amy's eyes widened and her mouth opened. She immediately closed it then remained silent, waiting for the doctor to proceed.

"Paul Anderson, your family therapist, is on his way to see her. Once he's done speaking to her, It'll be your turn. Is that okay?"

"It's fine, she probably doesn't want to see me anyway."

The woman gave her a sympathetic look, irking Amy in the process. She was sick of people pitying her. It was something almost everyone she knew had done and she was getting tired of it.

"Why don't you wash up? Your sister left you some clothes when you were asleep."

Amy nodded then climbed out of bed. She watched the doctor head for the door then took a deep breath before walking to the bathroom. Just then, Dr. Vitalli turned back around and addressed her.

"By the way, last night, when Teddy awakened from each of her nightmares, she only asked for one person."

The curious mother questioned her.

"Who?"

The short-haired brunette cleared her throat before speaking.

"You."

The doctor gave Amy a small smile before completely exiting the room.

* * *

Teddy tugged at the buckles that bound her to the metal bars of the bed. Although she was still weak, she continued to fight. Every time a doctor offered her something to eat or drink, she'd refuse it. There was no way she was staying here, she wanted to leave. For once in her life, she just wanted to go home. As she stubbornly pulled at the restraints, Paul walked in and kindly greeted her.

"Good morning Teddy." He said with a smile, holding a brown paper bag that contained a cup of coffee in his hand. The teenager rolled her eyes then stared at him.

"What do you want?" She said rudely. Despite her unwelcoming demeanor, he managed to keep his smile and approached her.

"I wanted to talk to you. Is that okay?"

"Do I have a choice?" She asked. He looked down for a moment then looked back up.

"Yes, you do actually. I just want you to answer some questions. That's all."

Paul took a moment to examine her face and noticed the puffy cheeks and red eyes. He looked at her wrists and spotted single red marks. That indicated that she had been trying to get out of the restraints since they put it on her. He sighed then took a seat next to her.

"Can you do that for me?" He asked, patiently waiting for her answer. Teddy, whom was rather grouchy, shrugged.

"Whatever." She mumbled. That was Paul's green light to continue.

"Great. We can start by you telling me what happened yesterday."

Teddy bit her bottom lip and looked down.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean _this_, Teddy. Why are you here?"

"I..." She trailed off once she realized why she was there and what she did to herself.

"Teddy, I know it's not easy. Going through something is one thing but actually having the courage to talk about it is another. I won't judge you." He assured, looking into her eyes that matched her mothers.

Teddy was ashamed. She always swore to herself that she'd never be **that** girl. She'd never be weak. She'd never be like her mother.

Paul watched her closely but said nothing. Finally, the girl spoke.

"I couldn't handle it," she began, avoiding eye contact. By now, Amy had stopped by the door (after wandering about) and decided to eavesdrop. Teddy continued.

"I felt... This rush. It was a rush of feelings. Feelings I had pushed away for as long as I can remember. When I spoke to you yesterday... Those feelings came back. I realized that I never really... I... I... I never really-" Teddy stopped as tears began to stroll down her colorless cheeks. Paul placed the paper bag on the table beside Teddy's hospital bed then spoke.

"It's okay. It's just me and you. Go on." He encouraged. To his satisfaction, she did.

"I never really talked about what happened, you know... at home. I never told a single soul. These feelings, when they came flooding back, I felt so overwhelmed." She stopped and looked at him. He gave her an encouraging look in return.

"I... I didn't want to feel that, or any of it. I just... I felt like such a weak little girl. I didn't want to feel anymore. Once I allowed myself to feel... I just wanted to be numb. So I... I took the bottle of sleeping pills my mom kept in the bathroom cabinet and I swallowed what was left." Teddy finished, her heavy heart beating rapidly. The machine began to beep again and Amy removed herself from the door. A female nurse came rushing in and aided her daughter.

"I'm fine!" Teddy shouted as the woman tried to inject a needle into her.

"Is this necessary?" Paul asked.

"The overdose affected her heart at a dangerous level. It's very fragile at the moment and she needs to keep calm. If she doesn't, she can have a heart attack or a critical seizure." The nurse quickly explained. Paul looked at Teddy then grabbed her hand. She wasn't able to move it away like she wanted to, so she had no choice but to let him comfort her.

"Let her help you, Teddy. I know you want to get out of here. Help them, help you."

Tears streamed down the teenagers cheeks once again. She hated feeling vulnerable, she hated not having control. She nodded her head and let the nurse proceed. She inserted the needle into Teddy's right arm and watched as her heart rate went down.

"You're so brave, Teddy." Paul said as the teenager suddenly felt sleepy.

"No, I'm not." She admitted meekly, slowly drifting off. Amy took one last look at her daughter through the rectangular glass then walked away. After hearing everything she just said, she needed sometime to herself.

_'Breath Amy, breath. Just remember to breath'._

* * *

Paul walked down the long corridor and spotted Amy in the waiting area. She had regular clothes on and looked like she was thinking really hard about something. He quietly walked in and sat beside her, making her jump in the process.

"Sorry-"

"No, no, it's okay. Good morning." Amy greeted.

"Good morning. How are you feeling?"

"To be honest, I don't know."

"Want to talk about it?"

Amy looked at him then nodded.

"Okay, what's on your mind?"

Amy shook her head then looked down at her lap.

"So much. I'm thinking about Teddy. About my other kids. About him..." She trailed off then looked up. She stared straight ahead then continued.

"I can't tell you everything. I can't talk about the horrible things I put those kids through. I can't talk about the horrible and unimaginable things _I_ went through. I can't talk about my husband, or the way he treated me behind closed doors. I can't talk about how I actually miss the bastard because part of me still believes he can be the good man he promised he would be. I can't tell you about what his friend did to me... I can't fucking say how angry I am, or how weak I feel. I can't tell you how I'm feeling because the truth is, I feel way too much. What Teddy said... About wanting to feel numb. I've felt like that for so long. I've felt like that since the day Bob..." She trailed off then closed her eyes, successfully keeping her tears back.

"You don't have to tell me all at once. We can take it pace by pace-"

"No. You don't get it, do you? If I tell you... If I talk about it... I'll end up like my daughter. Except, I'd be dead, Paul. I'd be dead. If I lay it all out there... I'll... I'll be forced to deal with it. I don't want too. I refuse too. It's better to keep it far, far away from me. It's better."

Paul knew she was having a mental breakdown. He had seen this way too many times before, but somehow, for some reason, this time was different. He didn't want her to end up in a hospital bed again. This woman clearly didn't deserve this or anything else she went through.

"No, it's not better Amy. I know you're afraid. I know that what this man did to your family has left inevitable scars. You can heal them, Amy. You all can. Accepting what happened, happened is just the first step. Once you've done that, we can talk about it."

Amy sniffed.

"How can I accept the fact that I'm a victim of... of..."

Paul stopped her. She looked at him and waited for him to speak.

"You don't have to say it. Like I said before, we'll take this pace by pace. I'm here for you Amy. All of the people who love you are here for you too." he assured her. He wanted to embrace her, he wanted to hold her hand, anything as a sign of comfort, but... he knew he was still a complete stranger to the blonde. So instead, he just sat beside her, watching her silently cry.

* * *

The weekend had passed and it was now Monday afternoon. Teddy was still in the hospital but was cleared to leave the next day. Her restraints were taken off and she was free to move at her own will. The past three days in the hospital had been stressful for the sixteen year old. Her body was progressing but her emotions were not. She continued to have nightmares and disclosed herself from people. She didn't want to speak to anyone about anything.

She just wanted to be home.

As the teenager laid in her hospital bed, deep in thought, a soft knock on the door startled her. She invited them in then immediately sat up when she noticed it was Mary Lou and Ivy.

"Hey Teds, are you feeling any better?" the dark-skinned girl asked. She held out a pink teddy bear that had a ballon tied to its arm. Teddy smiled then accepted it.

"Yeah, I guess. Thanks, this is cute." she said, genuinely grateful. Ivy smiled back.

"No problem, it's the least I can do."

The room became silent and Mary Lou didn't fail to notice. She looked at the girls who had their heads down then decided to speak.

"Well Teddy, I'm happy you're all better and that you can go home tomorrow. I'll leave you two alone; I'll be right outside if you need me." the mother politely said. She gave Ivy a side hug then smiled brightly at Teddy before exiting the room.

"So, how was school Friday?"

"Teds-"

"Did you hand in our science project? What did we get?"

"Teddy..."

The sixteen year old looked up at her best friend and noticed she was crying.

"Ivy, what's wrong?"

"What's wrong? You're sitting in a hospital bed because you tried to kill yourself Teddy! You're really going to just sit there and ask me what's wrong?!"

The blonde immediately became quiet as tears of her own started to fall. Ivy noticed her error then quickly tried to fix it.

"I'm sorry Teds, I didn't mean to say that. I, I'm just..."

"No. You have nothing to be sorry about. You've been dealing with me and bullshit since the day we became best friends. **I'm** sorry."

"Teddy... I just... Last night, I had a bad dream," Ivy began, sitting in the chair beside Teddy's bed. The blonde refused to look at her but listened closely.

"You were in it... we were in your room, having one of our famous sleepovers. We laughed, danced, ate a ton of junk food..." Ivy trailed off once she spotted the smile on Teddy's face.

"And this is a bad dream how?"

Ivy gulped then hesitantly continued.

"Because... after we fell asleep, I woke up in the middle of the night. When I checked to see if you were there, it turned out that you weren't. So I got up and searched your house. Everyone was dead, Teddy. You, your mom, your brothers and little sister. You were all dead."

Teddy honestly didn't know what to say so she decided to say nothing at all. Ivy continued to speak.

"I know that you all went through some pretty harsh stuff, but... you all need to get help. If you don't, it can be the death of you. Your family too. You attempted suicide, Teds. You could've died-"

"Yeah, well I should have. And I'm already getting help." Once the teenager realized how bad that sounded, she apologized.

"Ugh, I'm sorry. I'm just being stupid."

"I just don't understand why you would do that. Is what you went through _that_ bad?" Ivy dared to ask. She knew she was overstepping boundaries but she didn't care. She wanted to be there for her best friend and this time, she wasn't taking 'no' for an answer.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't! Okay?! I just don't!"

Teddy's loud voice boomed throughout the hospital room and into the hallway. Amy and Mary Lou, who were talking outside of the room, had heard the yells and rushed inside to see what was going on.

"Teddy, are you okay?" Amy immediately asked, hesistant to approach her. The sixteen year old felt bad for her actions but knew it was too late to take it back. Ivy shook her head then stormed out, Mary Lou following close behind her.

"I'm fine." she lied.

"Honey-"

"I'm fine, mom." she repeated, avoiding eye contact. Amy nodded, her heart suddenly racing.

"Okay, just making sure. The doctors don't want your blood pressure to go up again."

"I know."

"Well, I'll be outside-"

"Mom?"

Amy stopped and turned, waiting for her daughter to speak. After a few seconds, she did.

"Can you... stay with me? Until Dr. Anderson gets here? He's coming to talk to me again, before I get to leave tomorrow morning." she innocently asked, secretly hoping for a yes. Amy felt her heart swell and began to beat twice it's normal rate. Teddy asked for her to stay. She wanted Amy to _stay_ with her. She smiled, then approached the side of her daughters hospital bed.

"Of course I will."

"Thanks." Teddy mumbled, looking down at her fingers. Amy took this as an opportunity to examine her daughters progression. The glow in her face was still gone and her lips were still chapped, but her heart rate was normal and her eyes weren't as red as before. The doctors made her eat small portions of food until her stomach was able to handle a full meal. They said the overdose hadn't damaged her as badly as it could have and Amy was truly grateful that it didn't.

Teddy felt her mother stare at her and something in her wanted to snap. Something in her wanted to yell at her and tell her to leavd. She didn't know why she asked her to stay, all she knew was that she didn't want to be alone at the moment. She felt like shit after yelling at her bestfriend, the only true friend she had and she wanted to hurt herself for it. Maybe if her mother was there with her, she wouldn't attempt to do anything stupid. As it turns out, she was right.

She didn't.

Amy stood with Teddy in silence for ten minutes until Dr. Anderson walked in. Paul greeted them then gave Amy a look.

"Can you step outside? I need to speak to Teddy alone."

The mother nodded then rubbed Teddy's free hand. To her surprise, the girl actually let her. Amy smiled at her but she didn't smile back.

"I'm gonna go get something to eat. I'll be back later." With that said, she was gone. Paul turned to the teenager who had fresh tears in her eyes. Worried, he questioned her.

"Are you okay?"

Teddy didn't respond as she looked down at her hands again.

"Teddy?"

"In my nightmares that I've been having... they were... about my mother."

Paul knew he was coming onto something so he decided to push the situation further.

"What happened in them?"

"It was me and my brother. We were locked inside of that stupid closet again. I was crying because I hated it. I felt like I couldn't breath, like I was suffocating... My brother got us out by picking the lock. Gabe wasn't with us because Aunt Helen had him. We searched the house and no one was there. Not even my father. We checked the basement and..." Teddy stopped and started to cry hysterically. Paul watched as her heart rate went up and reached out to press the button that would alert the nurses. She stopped him and tried to control her hitched breathing so the alarm wouldn't go off.

"No, let me finish. Please. I need to say this."

Paul respected her wishes then let her continue.

"My mom was on the floor. She was all bloody... my father beat her. I was crying and so was P.J. We heard footsteps and we tried to hide but... I couldn't stop crying. He found us then kicked us out. He told us to not come back. So we went to our room and cried."

Paul's assumptions were correct. Amy was definitely abused, physically, by her deceased husband. He sighed heavily then looked at the internally damaged teenager. He was still confused as to why the teenager loathed her mother so much, but knew he'd eventually find out.

"It's okay Teddy. I'm proud of you for sharing this with me."

After their talk, Paul informed Teddy of her new schedule. Unlike the rest of the family who was required to see him three days out of the week, she was required to see him everyday except Saturdays. He still had guitar lessons to teach and he hoped P.J would continue to attend them.

"I'll see you tomorrow. Have a good rest of your day, Teddy." Paul said sincerely as he put a hand on her shoulder then walked out of her hospital room.

* * *

_**A/N: So... Remember when Amy said she didn't want to tell Paul about what Bob's "friend" did to her? The next chapter will contain flashbacks of that and It's going to be rated M. There's a lot more surprises and shocking secrets to come. I told you guys that this story will be one hell of a ride and I did so for a reason. Please, please leave a review. I want to know your most honest opinions! Thanks for reading, you guys are the BEST. xoxo**_


	11. Nightmare

**Author's Note: HEY GUYS! Ahhhhhhhhh! Here's Chapter 11! *dances* I'm so happy that you guys left reviews on Superhuman (which I will post the first chapter for on Friday) and sent me PM's so I can continue this story! It means the absolute WORLD to me. Just to let you all know, the ending of this chapter is rated M. Read at your own risk. We are just beginning to dive into Amy's closet full of secrets. You'll soon find out her biggest one and learn how she coped with her trauma. Well, without further ado, read and enjoy!**

**Story Title: Far From Gone**

**Written By: ButterflyCryx**

* * *

**Chapter Eleven: Nightmare**

_He could hear the heavy footsteps pounding hard against the wooden floors. His little heart raced as the sound grew louder. He knew that the boogeyman was coming for his mother, the only person he felt at ease with. She was his constant, his touchstone. He loved her with every inch of his heart and he couldn't let anything bad happen to her. He held her tight and promised her that everything would be okay, that she was safe. While shielding her from the evil that would soon enter his room, he began to recite a silent prayer._

_"Dear God, please, keep my mommy safe. I love her so much God, please protect her..."_

_Suddenly, the door swung open. He swallowed hard then stepped in front of his mother. The dark shadow soon appeared and it's evil red eyes began to pierce through his soul. He suddenly felt a pang of inevitable fear in his heart, no longer wanting to be the center of it's attention._

_No. He could do this, he could be strong. As it inched closer, he began to think twice about his strength. What if he couldn't protect her? What if the boogeyman took them both? Each question swirled in his mind as the shadow's hideous teeth began to seep through it's equally hideous grin._

_"Leave us alone! Please! Just leave us alone!" He pleaded. The boogeyman's laughter began to filter the air. _

_"No! Please! NOOOOOOO!"_

* * *

Helen shot up from the couch at the sound of Gabe's screams. She stretched a bit before ascending the stairs and checked the time on her watch. It was currently 3:45 am. She sighed then dragged herself to Amy's room. She peaked inside and found the small boy kicking and punching at his pillows. He mumbled a few words then began to fight the air around him. Helen quietly made her way in then turned the lamp on. It rested idly on top of Amy's bedside table next to a round digital clock. Carefully but firmly, the worried aunt began to tap her nephew, in hopes of safely awaking him from his nightmare.

"Gabe? Sweetie? It's me, Aunt Helen. Wake up baby boy." She tried, shaking him a bit. It took a few seconds for Gabe to regain a hold of reality as his screams died down to low whimpers. Helen sat on the bed and pulled the ten year old close to her chest.

"Mom, where's my mom... mommy, are you okay?" He whispered softly. Helen sighed then spoke.

"She's okay Gabe. She's at the hospital with your sister. Open your eyes." She encouraged. After a few seconds, the boy did so. Gabe examined his surroundings and felt relieved. Th boogeyman wasn't there. It was just another nightmare.

"Are you sure she's okay?" he asked once more, looking up at his aunt. His big brown eyes seemed to match hers. Helen smiled for the first time in days then nodded.

"Yes, I'm positive. Are you?"

Gabe grew quiet and snuggled closer to his aunt. He didn't want to think about his previous dream, or talk about it. He just wanted to be with Amy. He needed to feel her warm embrace and smell her welcoming scent. It was the only thing in this world that could keep him calm.

"Gabe?"

"Can you drive me to the hospital?"

"You know I can't do that. Charlie is asleep and I don't want to wake her."

Gabe rolled his eyes then began to whine.

"But P.J is there! I want to be there too."

Helen sighed then kissed her nephew's forehead.

"You will be tomorrow, after school." She promised. Gabe was not satisfied and the older brunette could tell.

"I don't want to go! Why can't I be with mom?!"

"Gabe, your mother needs sometime to be with your brother and sister-"

"It's not fair! They hate mom! They always did, they never cared about her feelings or dared to ask her if she was okay when she started to cry! Teddy doesn't deserve mom's attention, she such a bitch!"

Helen stared at her nephew in shock then took a deep breath. Although everything the young boy said was true, it was still wrong of him to say it. Gabe realized the errors in his words as well and immediately straightened.

"I... I'm sorry. I'll just-"

"Gabe..."

"I'll go back to sleep. Goodnight Aunt Helen."

The middle-aged woman took one last glance at her nephew and felt defeated once he turned his back to her and hugged the pillow in front of him. She didn't want to pressure him into speaking to her so she respected his silent wishes for her to leave and immediately left the room.

* * *

"Okay Teddy, you're free to go." Dr. Vitalli announced, handing the teenager her clothes. Teddy gave her a faint smile then waited for her to leave so she can change. She felt a mixture of relief and worry as she began to undress. She paused at the sudden thought of suicide again. What if she attempted to hurt herself while she was home? Being stuck in a hospital room (with 24/7 surveillance) and receiving pills that help you sleep at night can distract you from such things. If she went home, those thoughts would only come back to haunt her, wouldn't they? Seconds later, Amy softly knocked and waited for an invitation to enter.

"Just a second!" the sixteen year old shouted back, removing her night gown and replacing it with a light blue shirt and dark blue jeans. Amy waited patiently then heard the door unlock. Teddy opened it and revealed her mother's face.

"Hey, I brought you some food." she kindly said, holding out a white plastic bag. Teddy didn't know what to say and decided to give her mother a small smile.

"Do you want to eat it here or in the car?" Amy asked, walking into the room seconds later.

"Uh... in the car." Teddy replied as Amy nodded then grabbed her daughters bag of everyday necessities that Helen had brought two days prior.

"Okay, you ready? I just have to fill out a release form at the front desk and then we can go home. Wanna wait here?" the blonde suggested. Teddy honestly had no words. She felt weird speaking to her mother in such a nonchalant way but it somehow felt... right.

"I'll wait here, I guess." she finally replied. Amy nodded once again then approached her daughter.

"I know that things aren't very perfect between us right now, but... I'm so glad I didn't lose you Teddy." the mother admitted, tears aching to be released. Teddy felt a tear come along as well but quickly recovered and looked away. Amy took a deep breath then left the room, taking that small gesture as her que to go.

* * *

"Hello Dr. Anderson!" Helen exclaimed as she entered the waiting area where the therapist happened to be. Charlie was holding her right hand and Gabe was standing on her left. P.J, who was less than happy to be there, stood a few inches behind them. Paul smiled at them then stood up from one of the chairs. He was reading a book and quickly closed it at the sight of the family.

"Hey guys, I was beginning to think you wouldn't show up. How's Teddy? Has she been released from the hospital yet?" the doctor asked, his voice full of genuine concern.

"Yes, Amy is taking her home as we speak. I decided to bring Gabe and P.J for their session today."

Paul looked at the eighteen year old boy. He could sense P.J's anger was still there.

"That's great, I'll see Gabe first so you can wait out here with P.J, then-"

"What? Why does she have to wait with me? I'm not five." the boy protested. Helen gave him a look as Paul spoke.

"Just to ensure that you won't run off. We wouldn't want to repeat Friday's actions, now would we?"

P.J rolled his eyes and slumped into a chair. Charlie examined everyone's features but failed to catch on. The four year old didn't know why they had to come to this place and decided to ask her aunt about it once they were alone.

"Okay Gabe, let's go. We've got thirty minutes." Paul announced, guiding the ten year old to the same room they were in before.

* * *

Teddy seemed out of it and Amy didn't fail to notice. The teenager was silent on the car ride home and she didn't even take a bite of her favorite food, Italian Pasta. Concerned, Amy got out of the car and walked to the passengers seat. She tapped on the window and waited for her daughter to snap out of her daze. Teddy jumped but quickly recovered. She opened the door and avoided her mother's look.

"Teds? Are you okay?"

Teddy swallowed hard as she held back her tears. How could she be so stupid? The one woman who truly cared for her was standing right before her and just twenty-three minutes ago, when that same woman was signing her release form from the hospital, she realized that Amy had been there all along. Despite how mean and disrespectful Teddy was towards her, Amy managed to suck it up and continued to love her. It took her a while, but it finally hit her - Teddy treated her mother the same way her father had. It made the sixteen year old sick to her stomach. She carried on the nightmares that Bob had started. The worst part of it all was that despite the fights and constant disrespect, Amy never treated Teddy any different. She still gave her gifts for her birthday and Christmas. She still left money for her whenever she was home alone while Amy worked night shifts at the local grocery store. Somehow, someway, Amy never gave up and continued to be a mom. A very amazing one, now that Teddy actually thought about it. The teenager didn't realize her tears began to fall until Amy actually reached out to wipe them. The older blonde was hesitant at first, waiting to see if Teddy would push her away, but since the teenager didn't make any attempts, she continued.

"Honey? Is something wrong? You can talk to me, if you want. If you don't, that's fine." Amy offered.

"Can I just go inside now? I... I want to sleep."

Teddy got out of the car and walked past her mother. Amy watched as her daughter stood by the front door of their home. Sighing, Amy locked her car doors and made sure they were secure then got out her house keys so she could fulfill her daughters request.

Thirty minutes later, Teddy was bathed and after refusing her food yet again, she took the pills that the hospital had subscribed to her and fell asleep on the couch. Amy didn't know if this was all a good thing or a bad thing and mentally began to decided to call Dr. Anderson and speak to him about it later.

Figuring that this was a good opportunity for a nap, Amy went up stairs and laid on her perfectly made bed. The exhaustion from the past few days suddenly caught up to her as her eyes closed shut. She fell into a deep slumber and began to dream, a dream she was horrifyingly familiar with...

***flashback***

_"C'mere, you filthy slut! You can't stay in that corner forever." The man slurred, approaching the frightened blonde. Amy couldn't stand the tone of his voice, or the aggression in his brown eyes. The way his hands touched her most private parts or made her do things she didn't want too. He grabbed her night gown and pulled her to him. She looked away from him, avoiding his face, but he eventually had his way._

_"You don't want to kiss me? Huh? You don't want me to make you feel like the little whore you are?!" He yelled, making her wince in the process. Amy felt her whole body shake as he forced his lips to collide with hers._

_"Wait until Bobby finds out how unfaithful his precious wife is." He whispered as he threw her onto the cold floor._

_"You can't keep doing this, please, just leave me alone." Amy pleaded, hoping for an end to this horrible nightmare. The man just laughed and got into an unpleasant position._

_"Shut up and open your legs! SLUT!" He demanded as Amy fought him until she was weak and had no choice but to allow him perform his dirty acts._

_"He's going to beat the hell out of you once I tell him you're a cheating whore." he said, taunting her with his words._

_Amy closed her eyes and began to count. His grunting and moaning gave her the urge to vomit as he rapidly moved in and out of her._

_Suddenly, the door opened and in came Bob._

_"What the hell is this?!" he screamed, his bloodshot eyes staring into Amy's. The man quickly got off of her and pulled up his pants._

_"She came onto me Bob, I swear!" he claimed as Bob grabbed the scared blonde by her hair._

_"Is this true? HUH? IS IT!" He yelled violently into her face. Amy avoided his eyes and began to tremble. She knew that no matter what answer she gave him, he'd still beat her. Seconds later, Bob dragged her out of the room and into the basement. Amy was mentally thankful that P.J and Teddy had spent the night with her parents, not having to deal with another night of screaming and crying._

_"I'm tired of this Bob, I'm tired of you hurting me!" She surprisingly yelled. The drunken man paused then took a moment to look at his wife. Amy felt intimidated by his intense stare and dropped her gaze to the ground. He slapped her hard across the face, which caused her to lose her balance and fall._

_"I'm tired of you and how DISGUSTING you are!" He yelled back, hitting her again. And again._

_And again._

_"Bob, stop! Please, just stop! You're hurting me! BOB!"_

***end of flashback***

"Mom? Mom... are you okay?" Teddy asked, standing just inches away from her mothers bed. Amy woke up and glanced around her room, realizing that this was just a dream and that she was okay. Embarrassed by her recent behavior, she shot up and excused herself from the room. Teddy watched as her mother flinched away when she reached out to grab her and decided to just let her leave. She knew what was causing her dreams. In fact, she knew that it was the same thing that caused all of her other dreams since the day her father had passed.

Teddy, determined do to something good for once, walked out of the room and descended the wooden stairs.

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**A/N: REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! THEY GIVE ME THE POWER TO UPDATE FASTER! :D**


	12. Forgive Me?

**Author's Note: HELLO! Okay, I know you guys are a little mad at me for not updating so frequently, but A LOT has been going on. For starters, My birthday was last month and Hurricane Sandy happened right before Halloween. I live in NYC so I was affected by it. Thankfully, my family is safe and we got through the disaster together. I apologize for my late updates but I promise to try extremely hard to update faster. Thank you for your positive and constructive feedback. It's always welcome. Well, enough with my rambling. Read and hopefully you'll ENJOY!**

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**Chapter Twelve: Forgive Me?**

_"Mom?"_

Amy didn't turn around to look at her daughter. Instead, she continued to vigorously scrub some dirty dishes while silently crying. She didn't want Teddy to witness the mental breakdown she was on the verge of having. So to keep her mind occupied, she cleaned. It was one of her best coping mechanisms. Back then, she'd clean the entire house from head to toe once Bob had left for work and the kids were in school. It helped ease her anxiety and gave her a clear state of mind.

'_Just relax, Amy. Just relax.'_

"Mom? Are you… okay?" Teddy asked once more, standing by the kitchen table. Amy tried to control her breathing but failed miserably. She managed to hide these 'breakdowns' from her kids throughout all of these years but right now, in this very moment… she felt the desperate need to let go.

"I-I'm, fine. Just go back to sleep."

'_Dammit, Amy! Pull yourself together!'_

"You don't sound like it." Teddy replied. She looked at her fingers as she contemplated her next move. She wasn't use to this, she wasn't use to communicating with her mother. They never discussed their feelings or the horrid situations they faced. There was always some kind of tension or extremely loud fighting. Most of the yelling came from P.J and Teddy, while Amy just stared and cried after.

"I promise…"

"Mom, you're shaking. I can see it from here."

Amy stopped what she was doing and tried to get a hold of reality. Flashbacks of what Bob's friend had done to her replayed in her head and she couldn't find an exit. She was inevitably trapped in her past. She hated when this happened, especially if her kids were there. Now that Teddy was standing behind her, questioning her odd behavior, she felt like she had to run. She felt like a scared little girl and she hated that more than anything.

"I'm okay, Teddy. Please, just leave me-"

"No. I can't."

"Why?"

"Because mom… you never left me." Teddy's voice became shaky as her bottom lip began to tremble.

Amy froze then looked down at the already spotless dishes. She slowly turned but kept her gaze to the floor. Teddy felt a pang in her heart at the sight of her mothers face. Her cheeks were blotchy from crying and her eyes were red.

"I would never do that to you." Amy replied. Teddy felt a few of her own tears come along as she walked a bit closer to her mother. Guilt from her past sins began to surface and she didn't attempt to hide it.

"I know that, mom. I know."

The sound of the front door being opened startled the two blondes as Charlie came barging in.

"Momma, why are you crying?" the four year old asked, curiously eyeing Amy, who quickly wiped her tears away.

"I'm fine Char, Momma just had something in her eyes. But I'm all better now, see?" Amy picked her up and showed her that she was okay. Charlie smiled then hugged her mother tightly.

"P.J was being a bad boy again." Charlie honestly announced.

Teddy looked at Amy and Amy looked at her back.

"Really? What did he do?" Amy asked, but before she could get a proper answer from the toddler, Helen walked in with Gabe.

"Mom!" Gabe shouted, crashing into his mother, nearly knocking her and Charlie over.

"My goodness! I'm so happy to see you too, Gabe."

Teddy saw the beautiful smile form on her mother's clear face and decided that she didn't want to ruin it. So she walked out of the kitchen, not wanting to be the cause of her mothers on going pain and descended the stairs to the basement.

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P.J softly knocked on his sisters door and waited for an answer. It was now 9:35 PM and the Duncan household was silent. After having a long talk with his Aunt Helen, who convinced him to give Dr. Anderson a chance, he decided to check up on Teddy and make sure she was okay.

"Who's there!" Teddy shouted, hoping it wasn't Charlie who had knocked previously and begged her to play Hide-N-Seek.

"It's me, P.J!" The eighteen year old yelled back. Five seconds later, the door slid open, revealing a very tired Teddy. She was wearing a light pink bathrobe and fuzzy pink slippers. Her hair was sticking out in numerous places and her eyes had black rings under them. P.J took note of her appearance then finally spoke.

"Are you feeling okay?"

Teddy rolled her eyes at his question then walked back to her bed. She laid on top of it and continued to stare up at the ceiling. She concentrated on a patch of chipped paint as P.J walked further in and spoke again.

"So... I'm not getting an answer?"

"I'm fine." Teddy murmured, keeping her gaze on the paint. P.J followed her gaze so he could see was she was seeing, then shook his head.

"So that's what you've been doing all day? Staring at a patch of chipped paint? How productive." he sarcastically said, sitting on the edge of her bed. Teddy closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She then sat up and faced her older brother.

"So? At least I'm not trying to slit my wrists."

The room suddenly became very quiet and Teddy immediately regretted her choice of words.

"P.J, I'm sorry-"

"Is that really what you think about? Do you really want to hurt yourself like that?"

Teddy searched for an answer as she examined her fingers.

"Yes... sometimes. I mean, I always had suicidal thoughts. I just never shared them." She replied. P.J fought back the urge to cry as he looked away.

"Why? Why would you think like that?"

P.J wasn't sure if he truly wanted an answer, but he was sure that he couldn't take the question back.

"Because... I hate my life. It's so screwed up and wrong and I just... I just want to disappear."

"How do you think mom feels?"

Teddy's eyes met P.J's as she spoke.

"Don't you think I know that now? I know I was stupid, okay? I know now that Dad basically brainwashed me and made me hate mom for everything HE caused. It was never her fault. She never asked to get mistreated. I know that now. So please don't sit there and accuse me-"

"I'm not accusing you of anything Teds. Relax. We were both wrong. Terribly wrong. I just can't find a way to make this better..."

"You can. Just talk to her." Helen announced, entering the room seconds later. P.J and Teddy were at first startled but relieved it was her and not Amy.

"It's not that easy." Teddy replied, eyeing the brunette.

"I agree, but it's something you two can work on. Your mother deserves that, don't you think?"

P.J nodded and Teddy sighed.

"How could she possibly forgive us? We put her through hell for three years. There's no way-"

"She loves you two more than she loves anything else in this world. She fought for you guys, even though she couldn't fight for herself. She took those beatings so that you both wouldn't have too. I don't think it'll be hard for her to forgive... Forgetting about what happened seems to be her only struggle. Not only with you guys... but with your father too."

Teddy's gaze dropped to her lap as a wave of guilt and hurt washed over her. She knew her mother was traumatized by everything she went through. They all were, with the exception of Charlie who thankfully experienced none of it. Gabe's mental state was questionable, but she knew about his nightmare's and the "boogeyman" he claimed to see. P.J gently grabbed his sisters hand and held it tight. Teddy looked at his hand then looked up to give him a small smile.

"Do you think she'll let us talk to her? Not now, but when we do decide too... do you think she'll listen?" Teddy asked. Helen could feel tears of joy and relief come along as she smiled then nodded. She knew they had a long way to go, but with the right amount of baby steps, they could begin to heal.

"Without a doubt." Was her only answer before the room became completely silent.

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**A/N: Too short? Too long? Do you want me to continue or should I stop right there? REVIEW. Oh and BTW, Amy's COMPLETE story and every single thing she faced/endured will be revealed soon... P.J's finally going to speak to Dr. Anderson as well. So stay tuned.**


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